gxx-cmt-cli v1.0.1

#cmt-cli

A simple CLI for scaffolding Angular.js projects.

Installation

Prerequisites: Node.js (>=6.x, 8.x preferred), npm version 3+ and Git.

$ npm install -g gxx-cli $ gx init

gx init username/repo my-project

Local Templates

vue init ~/fs/path/to-custom-template my-project

Writing Custom Templates from Scratch

• A template repo must have a template directory that holds the template files.

• A template repo may have a metadata file for the template which can be either a meta.js or meta.json file. It can contain the following fields:

  • prompts: used to collect user options data;

  • filters: used to conditional filter files to render.

  • metalsmith: used to add custom metalsmith plugins in the chain.

  • completeMessage: the message to be displayed to the user when the template has been generated. You can include custom instruction here.

  • complete: Instead of using completeMessage, you can use a function to run stuffs when the template has been generated.

prompts

The prompts field in the metadata file should be an object hash containing prompts for the user. For each entry, the key is the variable name and the value is an Inquirer.js question object. Example:

{
  "prompts": {
    "name": {
      "type": "string",
      "required": true,
      "message": "Project name"
    }
  }
}

After all prompts are finished, all files inside template will be rendered using Handlebars, with the prompt results as the data.

Conditional Prompts

A prompt can be made conditional by adding a when field, which should be a JavaScript expression evaluated with data collected from previous prompts. For example:

{
  "prompts": {
    "lint": {
      "type": "confirm",
      "message": "Use a linter?"
    },
    "lintConfig": {
      "when": "lint",
      "type": "list",
      "message": "Pick a lint config",
      "choices": [
        "standard",
        "airbnb",
        "none"
      ]
    }
  }
}

The prompt for lintConfig will only be triggered when the user answered yes to the lint prompt.

Pre-registered Handlebars Helpers

Two commonly used Handlebars helpers, if_eq and unless_eq are pre-registered:

{{#if_eq lintConfig "airbnb"}};{{/if_eq}}

Custom Handlebars Helpers

You may want to register additional Handlebars helpers using the helpers property in the metadata file. The object key is the helper name:

module.exports = {
  helpers: {
    lowercase: str => str.toLowerCase()
  }
}

Upon registration, they can be used as follows:

{{ lowercase name }}

File filters

The filters field in the metadata file should be an object hash containing file filtering rules. For each entry, the key is a minimatch glob pattern and the value is a JavaScript expression evaluated in the context of prompt answers data. Example:

{
  "filters": {
    "test/**/*": "needTests"
  }
}

Files under test will only be generated if the user answered yes to the prompt for needTests.

Note that the dot option for minimatch is set to true so glob patterns would also match dotfiles by default.

Skip rendering

The skipInterpolation field in the metadata file should be a minimatch glob pattern. The files matched should skip rendering. Example:

{
  "skipInterpolation": "src/**/*.vue"
}

Metalsmith

vue-cli uses metalsmith to generate the project.

You may customize the metalsmith builder created by vue-cli to register custom plugins.

{
  "metalsmith": function (metalsmith, opts, helpers) {
    function customMetalsmithPlugin (files, metalsmith, done) {
      // Implement something really custom here.
      done(null, files)
    }
    
    metalsmith.use(customMetalsmithPlugin)
  }
}

If you need to hook metalsmith before questions are asked, you may use an object with before key.

{
  "metalsmith": {
    before: function (metalsmith, opts, helpers) {},
    after: function (metalsmith, opts, helpers) {}
  }
}

Additional data available in meta.{js,json}

• destDirName - destination directory name

{
  "completeMessage": "To get started:\n\n  cd {{destDirName}}\n  npm install\n  npm run dev"
}

• inPlace - generating template into current directory

{
  "completeMessage": "{{#inPlace}}To get started:\n\n  npm install\n  npm run dev.{{else}}To get started:\n\n  cd {{destDirName}}\n  npm install\n  npm run dev.{{/inPlace}}"
}

complete function

Arguments:

• data: the same data you can access in completeMessage:

  {
    complete (data) {
      if (!data.inPlace) {
        console.log(`cd ${data.destDirName}`)
      }
    }
  }

• helpers: some helpers you can use to log results.

  • chalk: the chalk module
  • logger: the built-in vue-cli logger
  • files: An array of generated files

  {
    complete (data, {logger, chalk}) {
      if (!data.inPlace) {
        logger.log(`cd ${chalk.yellow(data.destDirName)}`)
      }
    }
  }

Installing a specific template version

vue init '<template-name>#<branch-name>' <project-name>

Thanks

To vue-cli for the head start.