Command-line interface (Epic)

[vgeorge]

In #118, we started working on a command-line interface to generate app scaffolds, allowing users to select a more elaborate setup in addition to the existing simple React app template.

These are the steps I believe we need to complete before considering the CLI tool ready:

• Merge the CLI setup from Command line interface #118
• Replace the root folder with the /cli contents
• Add CI workflow scaffolding
• Add documentation on how package versioning for templates should be managed
• Setup and publish npm package

Some features suggested by @AliceR that don’t exist yet but would be good to have:

• Accessibility (a11y) instrumentation
• Git hooks

I believe these are heavier lifts and could be tracked separately for a subsequent release.

cc @danielfdsilva @dzole0311

[AliceR]

• When generating a project, we need to ensure it loads the dependencies at the latest version

[vgeorge]

@AliceR I believe this is already addressed. Because we don't have lockfiles in template folders, our current setup for package.json should install the latest minor/patch versions packages.

[AliceR]

What is the plan for keeping it up to date on the main versions, too?

[vgeorge]

For major version upgrades I suggest we handle them case-by-case, since they may introduce breaking changes. Minor/patch upgrades already cover security/deprecation issues automatically. Happy to hear if you have a specific strategy in mind for automating major upgrades.

[AliceR]

I don't think we necessarily need to automate major upgrades, but we should have at least some process and guidance in place to ensure the libraries are up-to-date. The cli becomes outdated so fast it might loose it's advantage over pnpm create vite plus manual setup... ?

[danielfdsilva]

I usually use this tool: https://www.npmjs.com/package/npm-check-updates to check what needs updated and then look at the different major versions changelogs to see if there are breaking changes.

[vgeorge]

@AliceR I agree we should have documentation on this and added an action item to the list above.