gulp-help-doc
v1.1.1
Published
Gulp available tasks usage information based on jsdoc-like notations
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gulp-help-doc
Self-documented gulp tasks with pretty printable usage information in command-line.
Install
$ npm install gulp-help-doc
Using
Example gulpfile.js
var gulp = require('gulp');
var usage = require('gulp-help-doc');
var args = require('yargs').argv;
/**
* This simply defines help task which would produce usage
* display for this gulpfile. Simple run `gulp help` to see how it works.
* NOTE: this task will not appear in a usage output as far as it is not
* marked with the @task tag.
*/
gulp.task('help', function() { return usage(gulp); });
/**
* We may also link usage as default gulp task:
*/
gulp.task('default', ['help']);
/**
* This task will appear in usage output, because it is marked with the
* proper @task tag. Current information you're reading will be the task
* description.
*
* @task {demo}
* @order {1}
*/
gulp.task('demo', function() {});
/**
* Another task, which could handle some command-line argulents, for example,
* by using 'yargs' module. It is possible to describe expected by a task
* arguments using @arg tags. It is possible to specify as much argument
* tags as required by the job done within this task. For example here we
* describe three arguments:
*
* @task {test}
* @arg {argOne} first argument description which will appear in usage output
* @arg {argTwo} second argument description
* @arg {argThree} third argument description
*/
gulp.task('test', ['demo'], function() {
var one = args.argOne;
var thwo = args.argTwo;
var three = args.argThree;
// ... do something taking args into account ...
});
Put this example gulpfile in your project's root directory and run the following commands to install dependencies:
$ npm install yargs gulp gulp-help-doc
Now you can simply run
$ gulp help
or even more simply
$ gulp
and it will print you the proper usage information. It should look like:
Usage: gulp [task] [options]
Tasks:
demo This task will appear in usage output, because it is marked with
the proper @task tag. Current information you're reading will
be the task description.
test Another task, which could handle some command-line argulents,
for example, by using 'yargs' module. It is possible to describe
expected by a task arguments using @arg tags. It is possible
to specify as much argument tags as required by the job done
within this task. For example here we describe three arguments:
--argOne first argument description which will appear in usage output
--argTwo second argument description
--argThree third argument description
Depends: ["demo"]
Since version 1.1.0 it also supports tasks grouping using @group
tag:
var gulp = require('gulp');
var usage = require('../index');
/**
* Prints this help usage
*
* @task {help}
* @group {Misc}
* @order {21}
*/
gulp.task('help', function() { return usage(gulp); });
/**
* Builds entire project
*
* @task {build}
* @group {Building tasks}
* @order {11}
*/
gulp.task('build', ['build:css', 'build:js'], function() {});
/**
* Builds css bundle
*
* @task {build:css}
* @group {Building tasks}
* @order {12}
*/
gulp.task('build:css', function() {});
/**
* Builds js bundle
*
* @task {build:js}
* @group {Building tasks}
* @order {13}
*/
gulp.task('build:js', function() {});
gulp.task('default', ['help']);
The example above will output something like:
Usage: gulp [task] [options]
Tasks:
Building tasks
build Builds entire project
Depends: ["build:css","build:js"]
build:css Builds css bundle
build:js Builds js bundle
Misc
help Prints this help usage
When groups are enabled it will also use @order tags for groups sorting. In this case sorting is done using minimal @order value assigned to a task element in the group. Then inside a group it will arrange task elements by their specified @order.
How it works?
This plugin enables you to use jsDoc-like tags to document your tasks and make those task documentation availabe from command-line as usage information.
@task {task_name}
@arg {arg_name} arg_description
@order {order_number}
@group {group_name}
Task description could be written in a free form before the @task
tag
declaration.
If @task
tag is omitted then the task will not appear in usage call.
Optionally, you can use the @order
tag to sort the tasks descriptions
in the output. A task with @order {1}
will appear before a task
with @order {2}
. All tasks without this tag will appear at the end
of the list, sorted alphabetically. If groups are enabled (by specifying
group
tag on the tasks) @order
tags assigned to the tasks also influence on
groups arrangement. Task groups will be ordered by a minimal @order
values
found inside each group.
Restrictions
When using TypeScript version of gulpfile it does not support task
doc definitions outside of main gulpfile.ts
, so it is recommended to
describe with docs all tasks in a main gulpfile.
API
This module provides you with usage() function which takes 2 arguments:
- gulp - the instance of gulp, usage info for which must be printed
- options - optional parameter, which allows to tune some printing options.
Options are:
- lineWidth - max line width for the printed output lines (by default is 80 characters long)
- keysColumnWidth - max width of the column width tasks/args names (by default is 20 characters long)
- padding - number of empty characters for left-padding of the output
- groupPadding - number of empty characters before group name output, by default is 1
- defaultGroupName: if group tag is not specified it will use specified group name, by default this name is 'Common tasks'
- logger - printing engine (by default is console). May be changed to gulp-util or some other printing device if required.
- displayDependencies - if set to
true
(default), prints the task dependencies below its help description - emptyLineBetweenTasks - if set to
true
(default), prints an empty line between tasks help descriptions - gulpfile - full path to gulpfile containing jsDoc tags. By default ignores any files in node_modules.
Example of custom configuration:
const usage = require('gulp-help-doc');
const gutil = require('gulp-util');
gulp.task('help', function() {
return usage(gulp, {
lineWidth: 120,
keysColumnWidth: 30,
logger: gutil
});
});