TypeScript NodeJS Generator

I'm a Yeoman generator that allows you to create NodeJS modules using TypeScript. I let you quickly setup a project with latest available tools and best practices. Tools and libraries I use -

• tsc - for compiling TypeScript.
• tsd - for TypeScript definition files management.
• tsconfig.json - for providing compiler options.
• tslint - for linting TypeScript source files.
• gulp - as a build system. You can carry out above tasks through gulp.
• Jasmine 2 - for writing tests.

You want to know if you can change any of these? Of course, why not? It is your module after all. I simply get down to business of generating, no questions asked. Once done, I get out of the way as if I were not there at all and you can do as you please!

Usage

Install typescript tsd tslint generator-node-typescript globally.

npm install -g typescript tsd tslint generator-node-typescript

Create a new directory and cd into it.

mkdir my-new-project && cd $_

Run yo node-typescript.

yo node-typescript

Run gulp --help for information on available tasks.

gulp --help

Here is the list of tasks available out of the box -

  _build          INTERNAL TASK - Compiles all TypeScript source files
  build           Compiles all TypeScript source files and updates module references
  clean           Cleans the generated js files from lib directory
  gen_tsrefs      Generates the app.d.ts references file dynamically for all application *.ts files
  help            Display this help text.
  test            Runs the Jasmine test specs [build]
  tsconfig_files  Update files section in tsconfig.json
  tslint          Lints all TypeScript source files

Additional notes

• I provide nice integration with VSCode editor. I configure the gulp build task as the default VSCode build task.
• The gulp build task also updates tsconfig/files section using tsconfig/filesGlob and generates typings/app.d.ts references file dynamically for all the application *.ts files before build so you don't have to do it manually.

Development tips

• The tsd tool dynamically updates typings/tsd.d.ts file for all type definitions you install through it. Also, the gulp gen_tsrefs task dynamically updates typings/app.d.ts references file for all application *.ts. Therefore you just need to add references to these two files in any .ts file and you are good to go with tsc compiler.

• To keep on using the typical CommonJS exports and imports use the export and inport systax mentioned in the example below.

  class Greeter {
    greeting: string;
    constructor(message: string) {
      this.greeting = message;
    }
    greet() {
      return 'Bonjour, ' + this.greeting + '!';
    }
  }
  //The following line is important, export like this allows you to use the old-style CommonJS export/import.
  export = Greeter;

  This is how the above class can be used in some other file.

  /// <reference path="../typings/tsd.d.ts" />
  /// <reference path="../typings/app.d.ts" />
  
  import Greeter = require('./greeter');
  
  const greeter = new Greeter('friend');
  greeter.greet();

License

MIT