Creating a module

A JHipster module is a Yeoman generator that is composed with a specific JHipster sub-generator.

JHipster modules are listed on the JHipster marketplace.

This allows to create third-party generators that have access to the JHipster variables and functions, and act as standard JHipster sub-generators.

Example

The JHipster Fortune module generates a “fortune cookie” page in a JHipster-generated application.

It is our sample module that showcases how you can JHipster’s variables and functions in order to create your own generator.

Basic rules for a JHipster module

A JHipster module:

  • is an NPM package, and is a Yeoman generator.
  • follows an extension of the Yeoman rules listed at http://yeoman.io/generators/ and can be installed, used and updated using the “yo” command. Instead of being prefixed by “generator-“, it is prefixed by “generator-jhipster-“, and instead of having just the “yeoman-generator” keyword, it has 2 keywords, yeoman-generator” and “jhipster-module”.

Composability

A JHipster module uses the new “composability” feature from Yeoman, described at http://yeoman.io/authoring/composability.html to have access to JHipster’s variables and functions.

For this, it composes with the “jhispter:modules” sub generator:

templates: function() {
    this.composeWith('jhipster:modules', { options: {
        jhipsterVar: jhipsterVar, jhipsterFunc: jhipsterFunc }});
},

Variables available

Global variables:

  • baseName: the name of the application
  • packageName: the Java package name
  • angularAppName: the AngularJS application name
  • javaDir: the directory for the Java application, including the package folders
  • resourceDir: the directory containing the Java resources (always src/main/resources)
  • webappDir: the directory containing the Web application (always src/main/webapp)

And all the variables from your .yo-rc.json file:

  • authenticationType: the type of authentication
  • hibernateCache: the Hibernate 2nd level cache
  • clusteredHttpSession: whether a clustered HTTP session is used
  • websocket: whether WebSockets are used
  • databaseType: the type of database used
  • devDatabaseType: the database used in “dev” mode
  • prodDatabaseType: the database used in “prod” mode
  • searchEngine: whether a search engine is used
  • useSass: if Sass is used for CSS pre-processing
  • buildTool: the Java build tool
  • frontendBuilder: the front-end (JavaScript/CSS/HTML) build tool
  • enableTranslation: if translations are enabled
  • enableSocialSignIn: if social login is enabled
  • testFrameworks: an array of the test frameworks selected

Functions available

  • addJavaScriptToIndex: add a JavaScript file to the index.html
  • addMessageformatLocaleToIndex: add a message format locale (for i18n)
  • addElementToMenu: add an entry in the navigation menu
  • addEntityToMenu: add an entity in the entity navigation sub-menu
  • addElementTranslationKey: add a new translation key in the global.json file
  • addEntityTranslationKey: add a new translation key for an entity in the global.json file
  • addChangelogToLiquibase: add a new changelog in the Liquibase master.xml file
  • dateFormatForLiquibase: creates a new timestamp to be used by a Liquibase changelog
  • copyI18nFilesByName: copy i18n files

Registering a module to the JHipster marketplace

To have your module available in the JHipster marketplace, you need to add it to the modules.json file by doing a Pull Request to the jhipster/jhipster.github.io project.

The modules.json is a JSON file containing an array of the available modules. Add a new module in the array, and specify all fields. Leave the “verified” field as false: your module will become “verified” if the JHipster team verifies it.

Once your Pull Request is accepted, your module will become available!