Explicit plugins and plugin configuration

[kylef]

I think it would be nice to have explicit plugins defined in a Podfile, and also allow passing configuration down to the plugin.

Here's an example of usage:

plugin 'cocoapods-keys'
plugin 'slather'
plugin 'acknowledgements', :plist => 'Resources/Acknowledgements.plist'

This goes along with #2619.

[orta]

I think this is a lovely idea. Especially the arguments, right now I do this to ensure consistent per-project settings.

If possible, it'd be good to be able to also put plugin 'keys' and have it prepend cocoapods- if a keys gem can't be found. Understand if ruby gems API makes this unfeasible.

[alloy]

I like this idea 👍

This combined with my thoughts on splitting off Xcode integration into a plugin would possibly allow the removal of the --no-integrate CLI option for:

plugin 'cocoapods-xcode'

And:

plugin 'cocoapods-xcode', :path => 'path/to/Project.xcodeproj'

[orta]

How I'd expect this to work.

The plugins is an explicit contract for the API callbacks that exist in CocoaPods. If you have a plugin that extends the CocoaPods commands like cocoapods-try or cocoapods-open then you do not need to include it. They will still add commands like pod open to the tool.

If the plugin wants to act on a callback from CocoaPods, e.g. cocoapods-keys which makes changes after a Pod has finished it would have to be in the Podfile.

It would be good to install the Gem if it is not installed, and keep the version in the Podfile.lock. If this is basically too crazy it could go.

[segiddins]

To make this change, when plugins register with the HooksManager, they will have to provide a name.

When run is called on the HooksManager, it will take an optional array of allowed plugin names whose hooks should be run (if empty run no hooks, if nil run all). The Installer will just use the list of allowed plugins in the Podfile. What needs to be decided upon is handling of expected plugins that aren't registered -- I think that the easiest way would be to have the Analyzer ensure that all plugins specified in the Podfile have been registered with the HooksManager.

No Lockfile changes should be needed.

[85danf]

Hi,
sorry to comment on such an old issue - i'm writing a plugin to work with custom private Spec repositories and i'm trying to figure out if there's a way my plugin can be configured to work globally with a set of parameters instead of having to include it and the parameters in each Podfille.
Is it something that's achievable currently?
Thanks.

[orta]

Your Podfile is ruby, you can do any computation you want

[85danf]

Ok, but i'm looking to not have to do anything in the Podfile - I want a global configuration for the entire client, or per repo perhaps.

[segiddins]

@Feldan not possible at the moment, sorry. Please let's not comment on long-closed issues