Webpack configuration for development & production

[jonase]

We're using webpack to support the front end development (jsx/sass compilation etc.) and it's working really well. In addition we support "Hot Module Replacement (HMR)" which is great for the front end dev experience.

In this issue we'll collect problems (& hopefully their solutions) in trying to keep using the same setup even as the rest of Akvo Dash evolves.

For example, we need to run the webpack-dev-server in order to support HMR which means that it is not enough to run only the Clojure backend server during front-end development. We also need to make sure that we have a straight forward production build that puts the static assets built by webpack in all the right places so that (in production) the clojure server can serve them to the client.

[jonase]

@kardan we'll need to figure out how to configure the backend to serve index.html for all the different (and future) client side routes. One approach could be to explitly list them in :aliases in system.clj, something like

{:aliases  {"/" "/index.html"
            "/library/*" "/index.html" ;; perhaps :aliases doesn't support wildcards??
            "/dataset/*" "/index.html"
                ...}} 

This seems a bit gross so maybe there's a better way.

@iperdomo Or perhaps it's better to do this in nginx config?

[kardan]

(Mis)use catch all?