eleventy.before callback runs after ignores are processed

[TheDocTrier]

Describe the bug

If a callback is added to the eleventy.before event, that callback is executed after Eleventy has already processed the eleventyConfig.ignores set.

To Reproduce

Create a template ignore.md.
Add callback on eleventy.before event which adds template's path to ignores.
Build the site.
The template will be rendered.

module.exports = function (eleventyConfig) {
  eleventyConfig.on("eleventy.before", function () {
    eleventyConfig.ignores.add("ignore.md");
  });
};

If eleventy --serve is used, then the template will be ignored on subsequent rebuilds.

Here is a simple repo that reproduces the behavior: https://github.com/TheDocTrier/eleventy-before-build-ignore

Expected behavior

The eleventy.before callbacks are run before Eleventy processes the ignores set such that modifications to it are reflected in the build.

Environment:

• OS and Version: Ubuntu 18.04
• Eleventy Version 8.1.2

Edit
Update issue and example to use eleventy.before instead of the deprecated beforeBuild.

[TheDocTrier]

See issue #1488 for another instance of beforeBuild running later than expected.

[pdehaan]

Quick note since I was looking at the docs for this earlier today, but it appears that the .on("beforeBuild", ...) is deprecated, per https://www.11ty.dev/docs/events/#eleventy.before, and you might want to retry w/ .on("eleventy.before", ...):

eleventy.before (New in v1.0.0)

• Previously known as the now deprecated (but not removed) beforeBuild (New in v0.11.1) event.

-eleventyConfig.on("beforeBuild", function () {
+eleventyConfig.on('eleventy.before', async () => {

[TheDocTrier]

Thank you @pdehaan for pointing that out. The problem is persistent with the new label and I have updated the example repository to reflect this.

[pdehaan]

Yep, can confirm on v1.0.0 that calling eleventyConfig.ignores.add() from within .on("eleventy.before") doesn't work, but works if you add it in the top-level eleventy config.

  eleventyConfig.ignores.add("ignore.md"); // WORKS

  eleventyConfig.on("eleventy.before", function () {
    eleventyConfig.ignores.add("ignore.md"); // DOESNT WORK
  });

[TheDocTrier]

Yeah, I've used that as a work-around in my Eleventy ignore plugin:
https://github.com/TheDocTrier/eleventy-plugin-ignore/blob/561dc0d3fa161fccf3f86f5980436d93e60e2d67/src/eleventy.ts#L48-L49

updateIgnores();
eleventyConfig.on("eleventy.before", updateIgnores);

[zachleat]

Sorry, I misspoke a bit there (stand by 😅)

[zachleat]

Hmmmmmm.

Configuration is the very first thing that happens, before anything else. It is needed in various constructors in the code (for good or bad, see #2103).

So, to be clear the eleventy.before is called after configuration is initialized.

However, a couple of things conspired here to cause this problem:

1. plugin callbacks only run once at the beginning of a --watch or --serve (thus meaning you need to use the event, correctly).
2. eleventy.before runs after Eleventy->init

I agree that it would be best to have eleventy.before run before init but I’m worried that would cause some breakages in how folks are using the event now.

Specifically, this is how the eleventy.before event has always worked.

I think as a stop-gap we can add an additional event (maybe eleventy.beforeInit—open to suggestions) and maybe move eleventy.before up to match as a breaking change in 2.0.

[zachleat]

eleventy.beforeConfig is available in v3.0.0-alpha.3 and will ship with v3.0.

It was originally added as an async mechanism to modify configuration in synchronous config callbacks.

module.exports = function (eleventyConfig) {
  eleventyConfig.on("eleventy.beforeConfig", async function (eleventyConfig) {
    // You can do async things in here too

    eleventyConfig.ignores.add("ignore.md");
  });
};