This repository contains the required submodules (plug-ins) to automate grunt v0.4.5 tools such as Sass, Uglify, Modernizr, Imagemin using the command line interface (terminal console). Additional tools (plug-ins) can be automated. However, check the list of available plugins within the Grunt Ecosystem.
###Definition
Grunt is an automation tool which assists in various repetitive tasks such as minification, compilation, unit testing, linting, etc. Web-applications employing grunt is generally considered as a testing, or staging environment. The compiled assets from this environment is typically pushed onto a staging, or production environments.
Grunt works by adapting plugins, and automating them. Some of the more notable plug-ins included in the Grunt Ecosystem:
##Pre-Installation
###Linux Packages
The following packages need to be installed through terminal in Ubuntu:
# General Packages:
sudo apt-get install ruby
sudo apt-get install npm
sudo apt-get install nodejs
sudo gem install sass
# Package Configuration: create a link to (/usr/bin/node) that points to "nodejs"
sudo ln -s "$(which nodejs)" /usr/bin/node
Note: This project assumes Ubuntu Server 14.04 as the operating system.
###GIT
Fork this project into your GitHub account, then clone your repository of this project:
cd /var/www/html/[CLONE-DESTINATION]/
sudo git clone https://[YOUR-USERNAME]@github.com/[YOUR-USERNAME]/grunt.git grunt
Then, add the Remote Upstream, this way we can pull any merged pull-requests:
cd /var/www/html/[CLONE-DESTINATION]/grunt/
git remote add upstream https://github.com/[YOUR-USERNAME]/grunt.git
Note: Each web-application requiring grunt, will need a clone of this repository.
####GIT Submodule
We need to initialize our git submodules:
cd /var/www/html/[CLONE-DESTINATION]/
sudo git submodule init
sudo git submodule update
cd /var/www/html/[CLONE-DESTINATION]/grunt/
sudo git submodule init
sudo git submodule update
These commands will update submodules. Checking out the most recent release for submodules should be committed to this repository (not in the Clone):
cd /var/www/html/[CLONE-DESTINATION]/grunt/node_modules/[SUBMODULE]/
git checkout [RELEASE_TAG]
cd ../
git status
After checking-out a release for a submodule, commit, and merge the changes.
Note: Grunt, and Grunt plugins are installed and managed via npm, the Node.js packaged manager. Therefore, all grunt submodules (plug-ins) belong within the node_modules directory, since Node.js requires this structure for submodule references being used with code.
Note: clones of this repository will have the same submodule references in the .gitmodules file.
###Project Settings
In order for grunt to perform, we need to define package.json. This file contains the project settings, which tracks the development dependencies, and ultimately keeps environments synchronized:
cd /var/www/html/[CLONE-DESTINATION]/grunt/
npm init
Note: The name, and version field are required. Values within paranthesis are default suggestions.
##Installation
We need to install each grunt submodules (plug-ins):
cd /var/www/html/[CLONE-DESTINATION]/grunt/node_modules/[SUBMODULE]/
npm install --production
Then, install grunt-cli for all grunt projects:
sudo npm install -g grunt-cli
Note: this command can be run from any directory.
##Execution
###Automate Grunt
In order to automate grunt, we need to create a gruntfile.js. This file should be saved in the same directory where package.json (refer to Project Settings, above) is found:
cd /var/www/html/[CLONE-DESTINATION]/grunt/
pico gruntfile.js
Once the gruntfile.js file has been saved, open a terminal window to dedicate the following command:
cd /var/www/html/[CLONE-DESTINATION]/grunt/
grunt
This will perform the grunt operations defined within gruntfile.js, and apply any watches defined.