Add --ignore-plugins flag to abell serve

[Saurabh Daware]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

Plugins can have additional sources (CHANGELOGS, READMES) which can slow down the development process if you don't want to test them on every run.

Describe the solution you'd like

Calling abell serve --ignore-plugins should ignore the plugin execution.

Approach

1. We will have to register this flag in bin/abell.js
2. Add flag value true or false to programInfo in src/commands/serve.js
3. On true, ignore calling executeAfterBuildPlugins and executeBeforeBuildPlugins functions in the serve.js
4. ignore calling executeBeforeHTMLWritePlugins from src/utils/generate-site.js

This issue can be a good start for beginners so if you're experienced and comfortable with GitHub, Please look for other issues and leave this issue for beginners to that they can get started :D

[Abhijit Hota]

Hey, I'm working on this. (I guess I'm done too).

Just a query: What exactly does the createContent function do and can I move the programInfo property assignments before that function?

Something like this:

async function serve(command) {
  const programInfo = getProgramInfo();
  
  programInfo.ignorePlugins = command['ignore-plugins'];
  programInfo.port = command.port;
  programInfo.logs = 'minimum';
  programInfo.task = 'serve';
  programInfo.abellConfig.outputPath = '.debug';

  // createContent function that goes to plugins
  const createContent = (pluginNode) => {
    programInfo.contentMap[pluginNode.slug] = getSourceNodeFromPluginNode(
      pluginNode
    );
  };
  .
  .
  .
}

Also, (guessing this because it involves plugins and I couldn't really find any use of it in serving other than the *BuildPlugins functions) should we ignore executing that function too while serving?

[Saurabh Daware]

createContent function is used in plugins to create source plugins

https://github.com/abelljs/official-plugins/blob/main/abell-source-devto/plugin/index.js#L23

Is there any specific reason to move it below? I don't think so it breaks anything as long as it is above the executeBuildPlugins function but it is just safe to change minimal things possible 😅

[Saurabh Daware]

If we ignore executeBeforeBuild function then createContent won't be called anyway so it is fine to keep it out of the if condition for now

[Harshit Pant]

We should have integration tests for official plugins. I will create an issue for it. Then someone can pick it up.

Having those tests would be valuable as we will have some confidence when we will change the renderer code.

Edit:
Issue created: https://github.com/abelljs/abell/issues/78

[Saurabh Daware]

We have https://github.com/abelljs/abell/blob/main/examples/with-plugin/with-plugin.spec.js to test beforeHTMLWrite and beforeBuild with createContent(). I just realized It lacks the test for afterBuild though.

[Harshit Pant]

@saurabhdaware That is a unit test though.

Integration tests is also required here between plugins as unit tests can't catch bugs caused by order of execution

[Abhijit Hota]

@saurabhdaware

Is there any specific reason to move it below?

Currently the executeBeforeBuildPlugins is executed before all the properties of programInfo are assigned. In order to check for the --ignore-plugin flag, I had to assign a property before the execution. So I thought why not assign them at one place?(and the beginning of the function seemed like a really good place)

I don't think so it breaks anything as long as it is above the executeBuildPlugins function but it is just safe to change minimal things possible 😅

Totally agree with this and that's the reason I thought asking for opinions would be better (even if it is such a small thing) as I'm new to the repository.

If we ignore executeBeforeBuild function then createContent won't be called anyway so it is fine to keep it out of the if condition for now

Yeah, got it! 👍

Thanks for assigning me!