javascript - Is there a way to fork a npm library in package.json and run its build process on install? - Stack Overflow

admin管理员组

文章数量:1418659

I have a npm dependency (e.g. ngx-infinite-scroll) that I'm currently trying to fork (for bug fixes) and include my forked version as a dependency in my application. Below an example of the include in my package.json:

  "dependencies": {
    "ngx-infinite-scroll": "github:jcroll/ngx-infinite-scroll#bugfixes",
  },

In the above I've forked the repo at github and created a new branch called bugfixes.

My problem is that the maintainer runs a build process that creates an artifact in a ./dist directory and then publishes this flat directory to npm using $ npm run publish ./dist. However, when I install my new forked repo via $ npm i ngx-infinite-scroll the entire repo is downloaded and not the dist dir.

Now I know this should be expected. One thing I was hoping to do was at least get the dist dir to be created on install by adding to the scripts of the library's package.json:

  "scripts": {
    ...
    "prepare": "npm run build"
  },

However I still do not see the dist directory on install. Even then I would still have to alter the package.json to point the module key to this new nested directory entry point.

What I would like instead is when I install this library from github is to have it publish its flattened dist directory as the top level directory of the library just like how the original library installs by the maintainer building the library and running $ npm rub publish ./dist. Is there any way to do this?

Edit: I am also aware via this answer that I could build the dist and mit the code to this new branch but I'd like a more elegant way, hence the question.

I have a npm dependency (e.g. ngx-infinite-scroll) that I'm currently trying to fork (for bug fixes) and include my forked version as a dependency in my application. Below an example of the include in my package.json:

  "dependencies": {
    "ngx-infinite-scroll": "github:jcroll/ngx-infinite-scroll#bugfixes",
  },

In the above I've forked the repo at github and created a new branch called bugfixes.

My problem is that the maintainer runs a build process that creates an artifact in a ./dist directory and then publishes this flat directory to npm using $ npm run publish ./dist. However, when I install my new forked repo via $ npm i ngx-infinite-scroll the entire repo is downloaded and not the dist dir.

Now I know this should be expected. One thing I was hoping to do was at least get the dist dir to be created on install by adding to the scripts of the library's package.json:

  "scripts": {
    ...
    "prepare": "npm run build"
  },

However I still do not see the dist directory on install. Even then I would still have to alter the package.json to point the module key to this new nested directory entry point.

What I would like instead is when I install this library from github is to have it publish its flattened dist directory as the top level directory of the library just like how the original library installs by the maintainer building the library and running $ npm rub publish ./dist. Is there any way to do this?

Edit: I am also aware via this answer that I could build the dist and mit the code to this new branch but I'd like a more elegant way, hence the question.

• javascript
• npm

Share Improve this question Follow asked Mar 12, 2018 at 19:09 jcrolljcroll 7,17599 gold badges5555 silver badges6868 bronze badges 1

• 1 Shouldn't your mand be "prepare": "cd node_modules/ngx-infinite-scroll && npm i && npm run build"? – Tarun Lalwani Commented Mar 15, 2018 at 5:31

Add a ment  | 

2 Answers 2

Sorted by: Reset to default 5 +50

There are two things you can do

Changes to your package

You have a event prepare, postinstall or install and use the below in the same

"postinstall": "cd node_modules/ngx-infinite-scroll && npm i && npm run build"

Then if you really want to use dist, you could do something like below

"postinstall": "cd node_modules/ngx-infinite-scroll && npm i && npm run build && mv dist ../ngx-infinite-scroll-dist && cd .. && rm -rf ngx-infinite-scroll && mv ngx-infinite-scroll-dist ngx-infinite-scroll && cd ngx-infinite-scroll && npm i",

Build in fork

Another option is to change the fork and update the postinstall of the package.json to do the npm run build and create the dist folder when the forked package is installed

Edit: 20-Mar-2018

You were right, if we use postinstall then it will create infinite loop. You can do that in a prepack event.

"prepack": "node build.js",

Below is a sample github project you can actual test

https://github./tarunlalwani/ngx-infinite-scroll/tree/so49242809

Test it using

npm add tarunlalwani/ngx-infinite-scroll#so49242809

And it will have the dist folder once installed

There is this simpler way: patch-package

patch-package lets app authors instantly make and keep fixes to npm dependencies. It's a vital band-aid for those of us living on the bleeding edge.

Patches created by patch-package are automatically and gracefully applied when you use npm(>=5) or yarn.

No more waiting around for pull requests to be merged and published. No more forking repos just to fix that one tiny thing preventing your app from working.

本文标签：