Framework for building libraries and npm packages for Front-End
Commands
npm login
npm publish
- to publish / update a packagenpm unpublish [package_name]
- to delete
Framework structure
The framework allows you to write code in the form of Typescript and SCSS, code that will be compiled in JavaScript and CSS.
The output will be placed inside dist
folder and it's represented by two files.
my-library.js
- you JS and CSS code bundled in one filemy-library.d.ts
- types for your code
The SCSS files need to be imported in the main TypeScript file.
Default, Webpack is configured to include the CSS code inside the JavaScript file which will create the <style></style>
tag and populate it with the corresponding style.
If you want to place the CSS output in a separate file and have them both included in your application then cut these lines from config
object
{
test: /\.s?css$/,
use: [
'style-loader',
{
loader: 'postcss-loader',
options: {
config: {
path: 'postcss.config.js',
},
},
},
'sass-loader',
],
},
and place them here
module.exports = (env, argv) => {
if (argv.mode === 'development') {
} else if (argv.mode === 'production') {
} else {
throw new Error('Specify env');
}
return config;
};
Full example:
module.exports = (env, argv) => {
if (argv.mode === 'development') {
config.module.rules.push({
test: /\.s?css$/,
use: [
'style-loader',
{
loader: 'postcss-loader',
options: {
sourceMap: true,
config: {
path: 'postcss.config.js',
},
},
},
'sass-loader',
],
});
} else if (argv.mode === 'production') {
config.module.rules.push({
test: /\.s?css$/,
use: [
'style-loader',
{
loader: 'postcss-loader',
options: {
config: {
path: 'postcss.config.js',
},
},
},
'sass-loader',
],
});
} else {
throw new Error('Specify env');
}
return config;
};
Start developing your library (and testing)
- Inside src folder, change the name of the main file, from
my-library.ts
to the desired filename. - Update this name inside
package.json
in main
and types
properties. - Update this name in
webpack.config.js
in entry
and output
properties. - To test your code just import it in any test file like in the example from
test
folder. - To test the code on the UI, update the
<script></script>
tag in index.html
file from demo
folder. - Open
index.html
with a Live Server or as a simple file and test the library.
Browser or node
If your library it's made to be used by the browser, then set the target
to web
. If it's made to be used in the NodeJS environment, then set it to node
.
In order for the library to be used both as a module and as a global object available in window
, then use this properties:
libraryTarget: 'umd',
globalObject: 'this',
umdNamedDefine: true,
webpack.config.js
target: 'web',
entry: {
index: './src/my-library.ts',
},
output: {
path: path.resolve(__dirname, './dist'),
filename: 'my-library.js',
library: 'MyLibrary',
libraryTarget: 'umd',
globalObject: 'this',
umdNamedDefine: true,
},
The exports are available under the name set in library
property.
index.html
<script src="./dist/my-library.js"></script>
<script>
const { isPrimeNumber } = window.MyLibrary;
</script>
.js or .ts file
import { isPrimeNumber } from '../src/my-library';
Default export
If you want to export by default, you can add the following property, libraryExport: 'default'
, in webpack.config.js
under config.output
.
Then, in your main library file use export default
, for example export default class MyClass{}
.
Publishing
-
In package.json
add a new property named files
, with the location to your distribution code.
"files": [
"dist"
],
-
Build before publish - you can add this property inside package.json
in scripts
object, if you need a hook before you publish your package. This command will be executed when you run npm publish
, but before publishing the code.
"prepublishOnly": "webpack --mode=production",
-
Versioning - each time you run npm publish
, be sure to update the version in "version": "1.0.0"
property inside package.json
. Otherwise you won't be able to deploy a new version.
-
Ignoring files - use .npmgignore
in the same way as .gitignore
, but for npm
Testing
For more indeepth testing, Jest
and Cypress
are configured and they both contain a dummy example.
Jest
npm run test
npm run test:watch
npm run test:cov
Cypress
- start a live server to serve the
index.html
file from demo
folder. - in
cypress/integration/test.spec.js
update the URL
if required. - run
npx cypress open
CDN
Each npm package is available on UNPKG.
This fits very well if your library is made for the web.