NativeScript Plugin for Nx

Requires at least NativeScript CLI v8.x.x or higher. You can confirm your CLI version by running ns -v.

Table of Contents

• NativeScript Plugin for Nx
  • Table of Contents
  • Getting started
    • Create a new Nx workspace
    • Init workspace
    • Install NativeScript plugin
    • Create an app
      • --framework [angular|vanilla]
      • --groupByName
      • Develop on simulators and devices
      • Configuration options
      • Run with a specific configuration
      • Run tests
      • Create a build
      • Clean
  • Create NativeScript library
    • --groupByName
  • Using NativeScript plugins
    • Installing NativeScript plugins at app-level
    • Installing NativeScript plugins at workspace-level
    • Known issues

Getting started

Create a new Nx workspace

# Using npm
npx create-nx-workspace@latest

# Using yarn
yarn create-nx-workspace@latest

At the prompts, you can use:

✔ Where would you like to create your workspace? · {your-workspace-name}

? Which stack do you want to use? … 
None:          Configures a minimal structure without specific frameworks or technologies.
# Choose "None"

? Package-based monorepo, integrated monorepo, or standalone project?
Integrated Monorepo:        Nx creates a monorepo that contains multiple projects.
# Choose "Integrated"

? Do you want Nx Cloud to make your CI fast? 
# Choice is completely up to you

Init workspace

Initialize a TypeScript project -- This will ensure a tsconfig.base.json is created to begin building your workspace.

npx nx g @nx/js:init

Install NativeScript plugin

# Using npm
npm install --save-dev @nativescript/nx

# Using yarn
yarn add -D @nativescript/nx

Note: If you get a Warning on peer dependencies you can ignore. For example:

npm WARN ERESOLVE overriding peer dependency
npm WARN While resolving: @swc-node/core@1.13.1
npm WARN Found: @swc/core@1.3.107
npm WARN node_modules/@swc/core
npm WARN   peer @swc/core@">= 1.3" from @swc-node/register@1.8.0

Create an app

# Using npm
npx nx g @nativescript/nx:app <app-name> [...options]

# Using yarn
yarn nx g @nativescript/nx:app <app-name> [...options]

This will generate:

apps/nativescript-<app-name>

The NativeScript Nx plugin will prefix apps by default to help distinguish them against other apps in your workspace for clarity.

--framework [angular|vanilla]

You will be prompted to choose a framework when this flag is ommitted.

Use this option to explicitly choose a specific frontend framework integration app.

This setting will be saved with plugin settings the first time it's used to automatically choose this frontend framework integration for subsequent usages and with other generators without having to specify the flag again.

--groupByName

If you prefer you can also provide a flag to suffix instead:

npx nx g @nativescript/nx:app <app-name> --groupByName

This will generate:

apps/<app-name>-nativescript

Develop on simulators and devices

Android:

npx nx run <app-name>:android

iOS: (Mac only)

npx nx run <app-name>:ios

Configuration options

A custom executor is provided via @nativescript/nx:build with the following options:

"debug": {
  "type": "boolean",
  "default": true,
  "description": "Use 'ns debug' instead of 'ns run'. Defaults to true"
},
"device": {
  "type": "string",
  "description": "Device identifier to run app on.",
  "alias": "d"
},
"emulator": {
  "type": "boolean",
  "default": false,
  "description": "Explicitly run with an emulator or simulator"
},
"noHmr": {
  "type": "boolean",
  "default": false,
  "description": "Disable HMR"
},
"uglify": {
  "type": "boolean",
  "default": false,
  "description": "Enable uglify during the webpack build"
},
"verbose": {
  "type": "boolean",
  "default": false,
  "description": "Enable verbose logging"
},
"release": {
  "type": "boolean",
  "default": false,
  "description": "Enable release mode during build using the --release flag"
},
"forDevice": {
  "type": "boolean",
  "default": false,
  "description": "Build in device mode using the --for-device flag"
},
"production": {
  "type": "boolean",
  "default": false,
  "description": "Build in production mode using the --env.production flag"
},
"copyTo": {
  "type": "string",
  "description": "When building, copy the package to this location."
},
"provision": {
  "type": "string",
  "description": "(iOS Only) When building, use this provision profile name."
},
"aab": {
  "type": "boolean",
  "default": false,
  "description": "(Android Only) When building, create an Android App Bundle (.aab file)."
},
"keyStorePath": {
  "type": "string",
  "description": "(Android Only) When building, use the keystore file at this location."
},
"keyStorePassword": {
  "type": "string",
  "description": "(Android Only) When building, use this keystore password."
},
"keyStoreAlias": {
  "type": "string",
  "description": "(Android Only) When building, use this keystore alias."
},
"keyStoreAliasPassword": {
  "type": "string",
  "description": "(Android Only) When building, use this keystore alias password."
}

The options follow the NativeScript command line option flags.

Here's an example app config:

"nativescript-mobile": {
  "projectType": "application",
  "sourceRoot": "apps/nativescript-mobile/src",
  "prefix": "",
  "targets": {
    "build": {
      "executor": "@nativescript/nx:build",
      "options": {
        "noHmr": true,
        "production": true,
        "uglify": true,
        "release": true,
        "forDevice": true
      },
      "configurations": {
        "prod": {
          "fileReplacements": [
            {
              "replace": "./src/environments/environment.ts",
              "with": "./src/environments/environment.prod.ts"
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    },
    "ios": {
      "executor": "@nativescript/nx:build",
      "options": {
        "platform": "ios"
      },
      "configurations": {
        "build": {
          "provision": "AppStore Profile",
          "copyTo": "./dist/build.ipa"
        },
        "prod": {
          "combineWithConfig": "build:prod"
        }
      }
    },
    "android": {
      "executor": "@nativescript/nx:build",
      "options": {
        "platform": "android"
      },
      "configurations": {
        "build": {
          "aab": true,
          "keyStorePath": "./tools/keystore.jks",
          "keyStorePassword": "your-password",
          "keyStoreAlias": "keystore-alias",
          "keyStoreAliasPassword": "keystore-alias-password",
          "copyTo": "./dist/build.aab"
        },
        "prod": {
          "combineWithConfig": "build:prod"
        }
      }
    },
    "test": {
      "executor": "@nativescript/nx:test",
      "outputs": ["coverage/apps/nativescript-mobile"],
      "options": {
        "coverage": false
      },
      "configurations": {
        "android": {},
        "ios": {}
      }
    },
    "clean": {
      "executor": "@nativescript/nx:build",
      "options": {
        "clean": true
      }
    }
  }
}

Run with a specific configuration

Android:

npx nx run <app-name>:android:prod

iOS: (Mac only)

npx nx run <app-name>:ios:prod

Run tests

Android:

npx nx run <app-name>:test:android

iOS: (Mac only)

npx nx run <app-name>:test:ios

You can generate coverage reports by using the flag with iOS or Android, for example:

npx nx run <app-name>:test:ios --coverage

You can also set this option in the config, for example:

"test": {
  "executor": "@nativescript/nx:test",
  "outputs": ["coverage/apps/nativescript-mobile"],
  "options": {
    "coverage": true // can set to always be on for both platforms
  },
  "configurations": {
    "android": {
      "coverage": false // or can override per platform if needed
    },
    "ios": {
      "coverage": true
    }
  }
}

Create a build

Instead of running the app on a simulator or device you can create a build for the purposes of distribution/release. Various release settings will be needed for iOS and Android which can be passed as additional command line arguments. See more in the NativeScript docs here. Any additional cli flags as stated in the docs can be passed on the end of the nx build command that follows.

Build with an environment configuration enabled (for example, with prod):

Android:

npx nx run <app-name>:build:prod --platform=android

You can pass additional NativeScript CLI options as flags on the end of you build command.

• example of building AAB bundle for upload to Google Play:

npx nx run <app-name>:build:prod --platform=android \
  --aab \
  --key-store-path=<path-to-your-keystore> \
  --key-store-password=<your-key-store-password> \
  --key-store-alias=<your-alias-name> \
  --key-store-alias-password=<your-alias-password> \
  --copyTo=./dist/build.aab

iOS: (Mac only)

npx nx run <app-name>:build:prod --platform=ios

As mentioned, you can pass any additional NativeScript CLI options as flags on the end of your nx build command:

• example of building IPA for upload to iOS TestFlight:

npx nx run <app-name>:build:prod --platform=ios \
  --provision <provisioning-profile-name> \
  --copy-to ./dist/build.ipa

Clean

It can be helpful to clean the app at times. This will clear out old dependencies plus iOS/Android platform files to give your app a nice reset.

npx nx run <app-name>:clean

Create NativeScript library

You can create a library of NativeScript components or plugins or whatever you'd like.

npx nx g @nativescript/nx:library buttons

This will generate a nativescript-buttons library where you could build out an entire suite of button behaviors and styles for your NativeScript apps.

import { PrimaryButton } from '@myorg/nativescript-buttons';

The NativeScript Nx plugin will prefix libraries by default to help distinguish them against other apps and libraries in your workspace for clarity.

--groupByName

If you prefer you can also provide a flag to suffix instead:

npx nx g @nativescript/nx:library buttons --groupByName

Which would generate a buttons-nativescript library.

import { PrimaryButton } from '@myorg/buttons-nativescript';

Using NativeScript plugins

NativeScript plugins can be used in Nx workspaces in one of the two following methods:

Installing NativeScript plugins at app-level

If the plugin is needed by one app only, and not others, you can install it for the specific app:

cd apps/<app-name>
npm install <plugin-name>

Installing NativeScript plugins at workspace-level

Alternatively, you can install the plugins at the workspace (root), so it is accesible to all your workspace apps:

npm install --save <plugin-name>

Known issues

If a plugin contains platforms folder with native includes, the plugin must be added to app package.json at moment. NativeScript#17 (comment)