Generate index.js from a template

[aearly]

I noticed we were leaving out some aliases in our index.js. It actually was not possible to const async = require('async'); async.find(...).

To work around this, I decided to build lib/index.js from a template, reading lib/ and a static aliases.json to fill it in. This also makes maintaining lib/index.js easier. I am also considering not checking it in.

We do not have to have an aliases.json, we could also parse source files for @alias foo directives in the JSDoc blocks, but want some feedback on that strategy.

We also are missing individual module files for every alias. You cannot require('async/find'). I'm going to add this, once I figure out how to specify it with Make.

[megawac]

We also are missing individual module files for every alias. You cannot require('async/find'). I'm going to add this, once I figure out how to specify it with Make.

I'd rather we punt on this and drop the aliases in v3 (and make things like detect -> find where appropriate)

[aearly]

I think aliases are fine. And in 2.0, some are actively broken, still needing fixing.

[megawac]

I think things like detect should definitely be dropped. That alias is very rare and non standard in other similar libs/es2015

[aearly]

What do you think about these changes to solve our current bug?

[aearly]

I agree about detect, select, and inject, but with the others it's less clear as to which is "correct".

[hargasinski]

For adding the missing aliases, this LGTM. I'm not a huge fan of the static aliases.json though.

I'm good with dropping less commonly used aliases in v3, but ones like forEach, and forEachOf we should definitely keep.

[hargasinski]

Should this be added as a dependency of build-dist?

[hargasinski]

Nevermind, it already is, sorry.

[hargasinski]

nit: process.nextTick

[aearly]

@hargasinski Would you prefer reading the @alias foo directives in the doc blocks vs. a static aliases.json?

[aearly]

Actually, I think aliases.json is best, because I can parse/stringify it in such a way that it can become a list of files to generate with Make. (I could generate it with another script, though...)

[hargasinski]

That's a good point. Plus, after thinking about it a little more, the file will rarely change, so it might not even be worth the effort to write another script to generate it. I'm good with these changes.