Proposal: Easier debugging across related projects #29
Description
I propose we make it easier to locally debug interdependent projects.
I've run into three instances so far (outlined below) where I've had to modify source code when, ideally, I should have just been able to add my local dependency to package.json and that's it.
We need to facilitate these common workflows (probably a couple if checks in the various source codes would suffice) and should document any additional steps in the appropriate CONTRIBUTING.md
1: donejs/donejs + donejs/generator-donejs
donejs/generator-donejs#135 (comment)
2: donejs/donejs + donejs/cli
3: bit-docs/bit-docs + project using bit-docs + local html generation plugin
I have to publish my package:
https://www.npmjs.com/package/bit-docs-website-theme
Just in order to use it locally. Seems like I should be able to do:
"bit-docs-website-theme": "file:///Users/leoj/src/bitovi/wip/bit-docs-website-theme"
In package.json, but that causes a 404 failure because some part of code insists on DLing from npm when I do ./node_modules/bit-docs/bin/bit-docs -fd.
So, I was forced to publish this package just to test it out, because I can't locate the bit of code that is attempting npm download, and making everything fail.
It's probably a similar case to that which I ran into when trying to locally debug the DoneJS CLI:
donejs/generator-donejs#135 (comment)
It seems like there must be some facility for debugging packages locally, without having to publish to npm constantly?
There must be a better way than adding INJECTING LOCAL COPY hacks (like I do in the link below), Right?
If not, a facility to allow local debugging would be a great thing to add into the frameworks in these places where it currently forces the use of remote npm.