Separate files for configuration

[anshulguleria]

🚀 Feature Request

Affected Languages

• TypeScript or Javascript
• Python
• Java
• .NET (C#, F#, ...)

General Information

• I may be able to implement this feature request

• This feature might incur a breaking change

Since the package.json is still a valid configuration source hence, it won't be a breaking change.

Description

Through the readme of the package I found that this package takes configuration through package.json file. Although this works fine but makes my package.json file quite big and messy. I prefer to keep most of the part of package.json auto updating. Would it be a good feature if you can take all that configuration which does not directly affect package.json through a separate configuration file?

I am coming from an example where packages like eslint, babel, husky, lint-staged who can take configuration through pacakge.json but, also give alternatives like js file, yaml file or json file. With this my package.json is pretty small and does not depend on the plugins and their configurations(apart from their dependency).

It also opens new possibilities. Like if you are taking configuration through js file, then it allows developers to write their logic to export those configurations. For example I can separate configurations based on local, test and production environments.

Proposed Solution

Hence, I am proposing a feature using which configurations can be taken through separate files too.

[RomainMuller]

We have been thinking about this and this is definitely a direction I want to pursue. Eventually, you'll be able to configure jsii via some jsiirc.json file or something of the likes.

In fact, we are planning to build this as part of the submodules (see #1286) feature, where leaving such a configuration file next to a namespaced export (export * as ns from './ns';) would enable you to customize naming (different Java package name, C# namespace, etc...) on a per-submodule basis.

[RomainMuller]

I've actually shifted around here a bit, and I think it'd be better to have the alternate source of jsii configuration be a user-owned tsconfig.json file, so you can also control the typescript compiler parameters beyond what jsii auto-configures for you.

[anshulguleria]

Does that mean users now have to provide jsii configuration in tsconfig.json instead of package.json?

I think it still causes confusion. Ideally tsconfig.json should contain configuration for typescript compilation only not for other things. That keeps configurations to each plugin owned files.

Another problem would be, tsconfig.json is a static file so user can't write logic which, having file like .jsiirc.js can accomplish.

[RomainMuller]

Another problem would be, tsconfig.json is a static file so user can't write logic which, having file like .jsiirc.js can accomplish.

I actually would rather have configuration that does not involve/allow logic. Is there anything in particular you have in mind where logic would be needed/useful?

[anshulguleria]

In situations, like I want to use different configurations based on environments, this logic helps. Similar examples have been followed by libraries like webpack, eslint, etc.

Having a possibility to allow logic can make this configuration extensible.

[github-actions]

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