JarCasting 
liftoff 
Launch your command line tool with ease.
What is it?
See this blog post, check out this proof of concept, or read on.
Say you're writing a CLI tool. Let's call it hacker. You want to configure it using a Hackerfile. This is node, so you install hacker locally for each project you use it in. But, in order to get the hacker command in your PATH, you also install it globally.
Now, when you run hacker, you want to configure what it does using the Hackerfile in your current directory, and you want it to execute using the local installation of your tool. Also, it'd be nice if the hacker command was smart enough to traverse up your folders until it finds a Hackerfile—for those times when you're not in the root directory of your project. Heck, you might even want to launch hacker from a folder outside of your project by manually specifying a working directory. Liftoff manages this for you.
So, everything is working great. Now you can find your local hacker and Hackerfile with ease. Unfortunately, it turns out you've authored your Hackerfile in coffee-script, or some other JS variant. In order to support that, you have to load the compiler for it, and then register the extension for it with node. Good news, Liftoff can do that, and a whole lot more, too.
API
constructor(opts)
Create an instance of Liftoff to invoke your application.
An example utilizing all options:
const Hacker = new Liftoff({
name: 'hacker',
processTitle: 'hacker',
moduleName: 'hacker',
configName: 'hackerfile',
extensions: {
'.js': null,
'.json': null,
'.coffee': 'coffee-script/register'
},
v8flags: ['--harmony'] // or v8flags: require('v8flags')
});
opts.name
Sugar for setting processTitle, moduleName, configName automatically.
Type: String
Default: null
These are equivalent:
const Hacker = Liftoff({
processTitle: 'hacker',
moduleName: 'hacker',
configName: 'hackerfile'
});
const Hacker = Liftoff({name:'hacker'});
opts.moduleName
Sets which module your application expects to find locally when being run.
Type: String
Default: null
opts.configName
Sets the name of the configuration file Liftoff will attempt to find. Case-insensitive.
Type: String
Default: null
opts.extensions
Set extensions to include when searching for a configuration file. If an external module is needed to load a given extension (e.g. .coffee), the module name should be specified as the value for the key.
Type: Object
Default: {".js":null,".json":null}
Examples:
In this example Liftoff will look for myappfile{.js,.json,.coffee}. If a config with the extension .coffee is found, Liftoff will try to require coffee-script/require from the current working directory.
const MyApp = new Liftoff({
name: 'myapp',
extensions: {
'.js': null,
'.json': null,
'.coffee': 'coffee-script/register'
}
});
In this example, Liftoff will look for .myapp{rc}.
const MyApp = new Liftoff({
name: 'myapp',
configName: '.myapp',
extensions: {
'rc': null
}
});
In this example, Liftoff will automatically attempt to load the correct module for any javascript variant supported by interpret (as long as it does not require a register method).
const MyApp = new Liftoff({
name: 'myapp',
extensions: require('interpret').jsVariants
});
opts.v8flags
Any flag specified here will be applied to node, not your program. Useful for supporting invocations like myapp --harmony command, where --harmony should be passed to node, not your program. This functionality is implemented using flagged-respawn. To support all v8flags, see v8flags.
Type: Array|Function
Default: null
If this method is a function, it should take a node-style callback that yields an array of flags.
opts.processTitle
Sets what the process title will be.
Type: String
Default: null
opts.completions(type)
A method to handle bash/zsh/whatever completions.
Type: Function
Default: null
opts.configFiles
An object of configuration files to find. Each property is keyed by the default basename of the file being found, and the value is an object of path arguments keyed by unique names.
Note: This option is useful if, for example, you want to support an .apprc file in addition to an appfile.js. If you only need a single configuration file, you probably don't need this. In addition to letting you find multiple files, this option allows more fine-grained control over how configuration files are located.
Type: Object
Default: null
Path arguments
The fined module accepts a string representing the path to search or an object with the following keys:
-
path(required)The path to search. Using only a string expands to this property.
Type:
String
Default:null -
nameThe basename of the file to find. Extensions are appended during lookup.
Type:
String
Default: Top-level key inconfigFiles -
extensionsThe extensions to append to
nameduring lookup. See also:opts.extensions.Type:
String|Array|Object
Default: The value ofopts.extensions -
cwdThe base directory of
path(if relative).Type:
String
Default: The value ofopts.cwd -
findUpWhether the
pathshould be traversed up to find the file.Type:
Boolean
Default:false
Examples:
In this example Liftoff will look for the .hacker.js file relative to the cwd as declared in configFiles.
const MyApp = new Liftoff({
name: 'hacker',
configFiles: {
'.hacker': {
cwd: '.'
}
}
});
In this example, Liftoff will look for .hackerrc in the home directory.
const MyApp = new Liftoff({
name: 'hacker',
configFiles: {
'.hacker': {
home: {
path: '~',
extensions: {
'rc': null
}
}
}
}
});
In this example, Liftoff will look in the cwd and then lookup the tree for the .hacker.js file.
const MyApp = new Liftoff({
name: 'hacker',
configFiles: {
'.hacker': {
up: {
path: '.',
findUp: true
}
}
}
});
In this example, the name is overridden and the key is ignored so Liftoff looks for .override.js.
const MyApp = new Liftoff({
name: 'hacker',
configFiles: {
hacker: {
override: {
path: '.',
name: '.override'
}
}
}
});
In this example, Liftoff will use the home directory as the cwd and looks for ~/.hacker.js.
const MyApp = new Liftoff({
name: 'hacker',
configFiles: {
'.hacker': {
home: {
path: '.',
cwd: '~'
}
}
}
});
prepare(opts, callback(env))
Prepares the environment for your application with provided options, and invokes your callback with the calculated environment as the first argument. The environment can be modified before using it as the first argument to execute.
Example Configuration w/ Options Parsing:
const Liftoff = require('liftoff');
const MyApp = new Liftoff({name:'myapp'});
const argv = require('minimist')(process.argv.slice(2));
const onExecute = function (env, argv) {
// Do post-execute things
};
const onPrepare = function (env) {
console.log('my environment is:', env);
console.log('my liftoff config is:', this);
MyApp.execute(env, onExecute);
};
MyApp.prepare({
cwd: argv.cwd,
configPath: argv.myappfile,
preload: argv.preload,
completion: argv.completion
}, onPrepare);
Example w/ modified environment
const Liftoff = require('liftoff');
const Hacker = new Liftoff({
name: 'hacker',
configFiles: {
'.hacker': {
home: { path: '.', cwd: '~' }
}
}
});
const onExecute = function (env, argv) {
// Do post-execute things
};
const onPrepare = function (env) {
env.configProps = ['home', 'cwd'].map(function(dirname) {
return env.configFiles['.hacker'][dirname]
}).filter(function(filePath) {
return Boolean(filePath);
}).reduce(function(config, filePath) {
return mergeDeep(config, require(filePath));
}, {});
if (env.configProps.hackerfile) {
env.configPath = path.resolve(env.configProps.hackerfile);
env.configBase = path.dirname(env.configPath);
}
Hacker.execute(env, onExecute);
};
Hacker.prepare({}, onPrepare);
opts.cwd
Change the current working directory for this launch. Relative paths are calculated against process.cwd().
Type: String
Default: process.cwd()
Example Configuration:
const argv = require('minimist')(process.argv.slice(2));
MyApp.launch({
cwd: argv.cwd
}, invoke);
Matching CLI Invocation:
myapp --cwd ../
opts.configPath
Don't search for a config, use the one provided. Note: Liftoff will assume the current working directory is the directory containing the config file unless an alternate location is explicitly specified using cwd.
Type: String
Default: null
Example Configuration:
var argv = require('minimist')(process.argv.slice(2));
MyApp.launch({
configPath: argv.myappfile
}, invoke);
Matching CLI Invocation:
myapp --myappfile /var/www/project/Myappfile.js
Examples using cwd and configPath together:
These are functionally identical:
myapp --myappfile /var/www/project/Myappfile.js
myapp --cwd /var/www/project
These can run myapp from a shared directory as though it were located in another project:
myapp --myappfile /Users/name/Myappfile.js --cwd /var/www/project1
myapp --myappfile /Users/name/Myappfile.js --cwd /var/www/project2
opts.preload
A string or array of modules to attempt requiring from the local working directory before invoking the launch callback.
Type: String|Array
Default: null
Example Configuration:
var argv = require('minimist')(process.argv.slice(2));
MyApp.launch({
preload: argv.preload
}, invoke);
Matching CLI Invocation:
myapp --preload coffee-script/register
callback(env)
A function called after your environment is prepared. A good place to modify the environment before calling execute. When invoked, this will be your instance of Liftoff. The env param will contain the following keys:
cwd: the current working directorypreload: an array of modules that liftoff tried to pre-loadconfigNameSearch: the config files searched forconfigPath: the full path to your configuration file (if found)configBase: the base directory of your configuration file (if found)modulePath: the full path to the local module your project relies on (if found)modulePackage: the contents of the local module's package.json (if found)configFiles: an object of filepaths for each found config file (filepath values will be null if not found)
execute(env, [forcedFlags], callback(env, argv))
A function to start your application, based on the env given. Optionally takes an array of forcedFlags, which will force a respawn with those node or V8 flags during startup. Invokes your callback with the environment and command-line arguments (minus node & v8 flags) after the application has been executed.
Example:
const Liftoff = require('liftoff');
const MyApp = new Liftoff({name:'myapp'});
const onExecute = function (env, argv) {
// Do post-execute things
console.log('my environment is:', env);
console.log('my cli options are:', argv);
console.log('my liftoff config is:', this);
};
const onPrepare = function (env) {
var forcedFlags = ['--trace-deprecation'];
MyApp.execute(env, forcedFlags, onExecute);
};
MyApp.prepare({}, onPrepare);
callback(env, argv)
A function called after your application is executed. When invoked, this will be your instance of Liftoff, argv will be all command-line arguments (minus node & v8 flags), and env will contain the following keys:
cwd: the current working directorypreload: an array of modules that liftoff tried to pre-loadconfigNameSearch: the config files searched forconfigPath: the full path to your configuration file (if found)configBase: the base directory of your configuration file (if found)modulePath: the full path to the local module your project relies on (if found)modulePackage: the contents of the local module's package.json (if found)configFiles: an object of filepaths for each found config file (filepath values will be null if not found)
events
on('preload:before', function(name) {})
Emitted before a module is pre-load. (But for only a module which is specified by opts.preload.)
var Hacker = new Liftoff({name:'hacker', preload:'coffee-script'});
Hacker.on('preload:before', function (name) {
console.log('Requiring external module: '+name+'...');
});
on('preload:success', function(name, module) {})
Emitted when a module has been pre-loaded.
var Hacker = new Liftoff({name:'hacker'});
Hacker.on('preload:success', function (name, module) {
console.log('Required external module: '+name+'...');
// automatically register coffee-script extensions
if (name === 'coffee-script') {
module.register();
}
});
on('preload:failure', function(name, err) {})
Emitted when a requested module cannot be preloaded.
var Hacker = new Liftoff({name:'hacker'});
Hacker.on('preload:failure', function (name, err) {
console.log('Unable to load:', name, err);
});
on('loader:success, function(name, module) {})
Emitted when a loader that matches an extension has been loaded.
var Hacker = new Liftoff({
name: 'hacker',
extensions: {
'.ts': 'ts-node/register'
}
});
Hacker.on('loader:success', function (name, module) {
console.log('Required external module: '+name+'...');
});
on('loader:failure', function(name, err) {})
Emitted when no loader for an extension can be loaded. Emits an error for each failed loader.
var Hacker = new Liftoff({
name: 'hacker',
extensions: {
'.ts': 'ts-node/register'
}
});
Hacker.on('loader:failure', function (name, err) {
console.log('Unable to load:', name, err);
});
on('respawn', function(flags, child) {})
Emitted when Liftoff re-spawns your process (when a v8flags is detected).
var Hacker = new Liftoff({
name: 'hacker',
v8flags: ['--harmony']
});
Hacker.on('respawn', function (flags, child) {
console.log('Detected node flags:', flags);
console.log('Respawned to PID:', child.pid);
});
Event will be triggered for this command: hacker --harmony commmand
Examples
Check out how gulp uses Liftoff.
For a bare-bones example, try the hacker project.
To try the example, do the following:
- Install the sample project
hackerwithnpm install -g hacker. - Make a
Hackerfile.jswith some arbitrary javascript it. - Install hacker next to it with
npm install hacker. - Run
hackerwhile in the same parent folder.
