Reduce boilerplate to 6 lines for iOS with a Macro?

[ConfusedVorlon]

import HotwireNative

#hotwireApp(
    localConfig: "path-configuration",
    remoteConfig: "https://example.com/configurations/ios_v1.json",
    rootURL: "https://hotwire-native-demo.dev"
)

Currently, the boilerplate is pretty minimal for setup - but it's still a lot more than the actual params being provided.
A macro could easily generate the exact code in the docs from the declaration above.
(I'm assuming a default 'main' value for the Navigator name - with an option to specify a different name in the macro if required)

It puts a little bit of magic between the declaration, and assumes some convention over configuration for the local config location.
But the expansion is easily viewed, and easily replaced with manual code if someone wants to tweak things.

Implementation looks pretty straightforward. I have sketched it out - and would be happy to send a PR if there is interest...

[joemasilotti]

Thanks for sharing! I don't think this is something we will add to the library, though. Feel free to to use the macro on your own apps if you'd like.

[ConfusedVorlon]

out of interest - why not?

It seems like a nice way of abstracting away almost all of the implementation detail to focus on the required config.
What don't you like about it?

[joemasilotti]

The big reason is that there is no "next step" from the macro. When a developer wants to extend their app to do something else… what do they do? What if they want to add tab bars?

Sure, we could add macros for everything. But then we are maintaining two code paths to accomplish the same goal. All for removing a couple lines of code.

[ConfusedVorlon]

fair enough.
fwiw - in my mind, the next step is to just go back to a manual implementation.
One nice thing about the macro is that you can even expand it and see what is being written.
In terms of the docs - they'd say words to the effect of

for a standard minimal setup which will cover most users - use this macro.
If you want to get stuck in and start customising, then it's easy to do it yourself and extend [link to full details]

I'm new to this, so I don't have a clear view of how many cases are covered by the minimal setup.

I'd argue that if 70% of users don't need to be writing swift beyond the macro config, then it's a good simplification.
My impression from the docs/talk was that this is the case and that most things happen via the path configuration.

OTOH - if most users actually do need to get into custom config in the main/app delegate - then they may as well start there.

[janpeterka]

Just adding my view - I would be more interested in seeing "cookie cutter" for hotwire native app - it would simplify creating new projects (removing boilerplate writing) , and allow seamlessly enhancing (as I would guess most of projects will customize at least a part).