scaffold.js

ScaffoldJS 🏗️

A powerful CLI tool for scaffolding code templates with multi-variable support. Generate consistent, organized code structures across your projects with customizable templates and flexible variable transformations.

✨ Features

• 🎯 Multi-Variable Support - Use multiple custom variables like module, feature, domain, etc.
• 🔄 Smart Transformations - Built-in case transformations (camelCase, PascalCase, snake_case, etc.)
• 📁 Flexible Structure - Generate files in any directory structure
• 💉 Template Injection - Inject code snippets into existing files
• 👥 Template Groups - Generate multiple related files at once
• 🔧 Configurable - JSON-based configuration for all templates
• ⚡ CLI Friendly - Simple, intuitive command-line interface
• 🔄 Backward Compatible - Works with existing single-variable setups

🚀 Quick Start

# Install globally
npm install -g scaffoldjs-cli

# Or use directly with npx
npx scaffold help

Initialize Your Project

# Set up configuration and default templates
npx scaffold setup

# View available templates
npx scaffold list

# Get help
npx scaffold help

# View comprehensive guide
npx scaffold guide

📖 Usage

Basic Commands

# Generate a single file
npx scaffold make user controller

# Generate with custom variables
npx scaffold make table controller -v module=restaurant feature=dining

# Generate multiple files using a group
npx scaffold make booking crud-group -v module=hotel feature=reservations

# Inject code into existing files
npx scaffold inject import-statement src/app.module.ts -v module=auth

# Force overwrite existing files
npx scaffold make order service -v module=ecommerce --force

Command Reference

Command	Description	Example
setup	Initialize scaffoldjs in your project	npx scaffold setup
list	Show available templates and groups	npx scaffold list
make <resource> <template>	Generate new files from templates	npx scaffold make user controller
inject <template> <file>	Inject code into existing files	npx scaffold inject method src/user.service.ts
help	Display help information	npx scaffold help
guide	Show comprehensive usage guide	npx scaffold guide

Options

Option	Short	Description	Example
--vars	-v	Custom variables in key=value format	-v module=auth feature=users
--force	-f	Force overwrite existing files	--force
--target	-t	Target point for injection	-t "// inject:methods"
--resource	-r	Resource name for injection	-r user

⚙️ Configuration

scaffold.config.json

The configuration file defines your templates, injection points, and groups:

{
  "version": 1,
  "templates": {
    "controller": {
      "description": "Generate a controller file",
      "src": "./scaffolds/controller.tp",
      "dest": "./src//controllers/.controller.ts"
    },
    "service": {
      "description": "Generate a service file", 
      "src": "./scaffolds/service.tp",
      "dest": "./src//services/.service.ts"
    },
    "import-statement": {
      "description": "Import statement for injection",
      "src": "./scaffolds/-import.tp",
      "dest": "inject"
    },
    "crud-group": [
      "controller",
      "service", 
      "dto",
      "entity"
    ]
  }
}

Template Structure

your-project/
├── scaffold.config.json
├── scaffolds/
│   ├── controller.tp
│   ├── service.tp
│   ├── dto.tp
│   └── auth-import.tp
└── src/
    └── (generated files will go here)

🔧 Variables & Transformations

Built-in Variables

• resource - Automatically provided primary variable
• Custom variables - Any variables you define (module, feature, domain, etc.)

Available Transformations

Transformation	Example Input	Example Output
raw	user-account	user-account
singular	users	user
plural	user	users
lowerCase	UserAccount	useraccount
upperCase	user	USER
camelCase	user-account	userAccount
pascalCase	user-account	UserAccount
snakeCase	user-account	user_account
spaceCase	user-account	user account
hyphenCase	user account	user-account
sentenceCase	user-account	Useraccount

Chaining Transformations

     // user-accounts → UserAccount
          // auth → AUTHS
       // dining-tables → diningTable

📝 Template Examples

Controller Template (scaffolds/controller.tp)

import { Controller, Get, Post, Put, Delete, Body, Param } from '@nestjs/common';
import { Service } from '../services/.service';
import { CreateDto } from '../dto/.dto';

@Controller('//')
export class Controller {
  constructor(
    private readonly Service: Service
  ) {}

  @Get()
  async findAll() {
    return this.Service.findAll();
  }

  @Post()
  async create(@Body() dto: CreateDto) {
    return this.Service.create(dto);
  }
}

// Generated for  module,  feature

Import Injection Template (scaffolds/auth-import.tp)

import { Module } from './/.module';

🎯 Real-World Examples

E-commerce Application

# Generate product management
npx scaffold make product crud-group -v module=catalog feature=products

# Generate order processing
npx scaffold make order service -v module=sales feature=checkout

# Add authentication
npx scaffold make user controller -v module=auth feature=users

Generated structure:

src/
├── catalog/
│   ├── controllers/product.controller.ts
│   ├── services/product.service.ts
│   ├── dto/product.dto.ts
│   └── entities/product.entity.ts
├── sales/
│   └── services/order.service.ts
└── auth/
    └── controllers/user.controller.ts

Hotel Management System

# Room management
npx scaffold make room full-feature -v module=hotel feature=rooms

# Booking system  
npx scaffold make booking crud-group -v module=reservations feature=bookings

# Guest services
npx scaffold make guest service -v module=hospitality feature=guests

Multi-tenant SaaS

# Tenant management
npx scaffold make tenant controller -v module=core domain=admin

# Feature modules per tenant
npx scaffold make dashboard service -v module=analytics domain=tenant

# Billing system
npx scaffold make invoice crud-group -v module=billing domain=finance

💉 Code Injection

Inject code snippets into existing files at specific points:

# Inject import statements
npx scaffold inject import-statement src/app.module.ts -v module=auth

# Inject methods into services
npx scaffold inject crud-methods src/user.service.ts -r user

# Inject routes with target point
npx scaffold inject api-route src/app.routes.ts -t "// inject:routes" -v module=auth

Injection Targets

• Automatic placement - Top/bottom of file (prompted)
• Specific markers - // inject:imports, <!-- inject:methods -->, etc.
• Duplicate prevention - Automatically skips if content already exists

🔄 Migration from Single Variable

Existing templates using only `` variables continue to work seamlessly:

// Old template - still works
export class Service {}

// New multi-variable template
export class Service {
  // Module: 
  // Feature: 
}

🛠️ Advanced Configuration

Dynamic Template Paths

{
  "templates": {
    "feature-controller": {
      "src": "./scaffolds//controller.tp",
      "dest": "./src///.controller.ts"
    }
  }
}

Conditional Templates

{
  "templates": {
    "api-controller": {
      "src": "./scaffolds//api-controller.tp", 
      "dest": "./src//controllers/.controller.ts"
    },
    "web-controller": {
      "src": "./scaffolds//web-controller.tp",
      "dest": "./src//controllers/.controller.ts" 
    }
  }
}

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

🆘 Support

• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions
• Documentation: Run npx scaffold guide for comprehensive documentation

☕️ Support the Project

If ScaffoldJS has saved you time and helped improve your development workflow, consider buying us a coffee! Your support helps us maintain and improve the project.

Other ways to support:

• ⭐ Star the project on GitHub
• 🐛 Report bugs and suggest features
• 📖 Improve documentation
• 📢 Share with your team and on social media

Every contribution, no matter how small, helps make ScaffoldJS better for everyone! 🙏

🗺️ Roadmap

• Custom Transformations - User-defined transformation functions
• Template Inheritance - Template extending and composition
• IDE Integration - VSCode extension
• Interactive Mode - Guided template generation
• Template Marketplace - Community template sharing
• TypeScript Definitions - Better IntelliSense support

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Made with ❤️ by Ebuka Odini

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