---
layout: quirkey_code
title: sinatra-gen
github_name: sinatra-gen
current_version: 0.3.0
nav:
  - name: What
    link: "#what"
  - name: Why
    link: "#why"
  - name: Usage
    link: "#usage"
  - name: Options
    link: "#options"
  - name: Dependencies
    link: "#dependencies"
---

h2(project_name). {{ page.github_name }}

h3(#what). What

sinatra-gen generates a common file structure and basic app files for a web app utilizing the sinatra framework.

For more information on sinatra, check out "Sinatra's homepage.":http://sinatrarb.com

h3(#why). Why

Lots of generated code is sometimes not a great idea, but having a way to simply generate the basic files and structure of an app can save a lot of time and is really useful. A lot of people have different opinions about how to structure a sinatra app since there arent any implicit conventions like in Rails or Merb. With that in mind, I've tried to make sinatra-gen as flexible as possible while still doing a lot of the work for you.

h3(#usage). Usage

h4. Basic

Run:

{% highlight bash %}
$ sinatra-gen [appname] [actions] [options]
{% endhighlight %}

e.g.

{% highlight bash %}
$ sinatra-gen mysinatrapp get:/ post:/:id --vendor --init --test=shoulda --views=haml
{% endhighlight %}

h4. Actions

For even faster app development you specify actions to include in your app when generating.

Actions are written out as

@http_method:path@

And are seperated by spaces. For example:

@get:/ post:/:id put:/update/*@
  
Will be added you your app as:

{% highlight ruby %}

  get '/' do
  end
  
  post '/:id' do
  end
  
  put '/update/*' do
  end

{% endhighlight %}

It will also generate test skeletons in the test framework of your choosing.

h3(#options). Options

(can also be obtained by running sinatra-gen with no arguments):

{% highlight bash %}
    -v, --version                    Show the sinatra-gen version number and quit.
    -d, --vendor                     Extract the latest sinatra to vendor/sinatra
        --tiny                       Only create the minimal files.
        --init                       Initialize a git repository
        --heroku                     Create a Heroku app (also runs 'git init').
 Optionally, specify the path to the heroku bin
        --cap                        Adds config directory with basic capistrano deploy.rb
        --scripts                    Install the rubigen scripts (script/generate, script/destroy)
        --test=test_framework        Specify your testing framework (bacon (default)/rspec/spec/shoulda/test)
        --views=view_framework       Specify your view framework (haml (default)/erb/builder)
{% endhighlight %}

The @--tiny@ option will create no directories. Just an app.rb, a Rakefile, and a config.ru (Rackup file)

h3(#dependencies). Dependencies

sinatra-gen requires:

* rubygems >= 1.3.1
* rubigen >= 1.5.2
* sinatra >= 0.9.1
* rack-test >= 0.1.0

If you want to use the @--init@ option, you need to have git installed and on your path.

To use the @--heroku@ option you need the heroku gem as well as a "heroku account.":http://www.heroku.com