stacker/README.md

Stacker DevOps toolbelt.

# !!! THIS PROJECT IS WIP AND NOT YET READY FOR PUBLIC USE !!!


# Stacker: Extensible DevOps Toolbelt

Stacker is a flexible task runner with built-in configuration templating and plugin support.

It's compatible with gulp plugins.

Gulp is comprised of two core components:
1. [orchestrator](https://github.com/orchestrator/orchestrator) for running tasks concurrently
2. [vinyl-fs](https://github.com/wearefractal/vinyl-fs) for globbing and piping files


# Install

Install via npm or install script.

The preferred method is the install script. This is similar to [brew](http://brew.sh/) where
the install script clones the main git repo.

### Install Script

Review [install script](https://github.com/getstacker/stacker/blob/master/install), then...

```bash
curl -sS --tlsv1.2 https://raw.githubusercontent.com/getstacker/stacker/master/install | sh -e
```

Installation may take awhile and appear to freeze while installing npm modules.
This is due to a bug in npm 2.0.0 when using npm-shrinkwrap. The install script
should eventually complete even with the `npm ERR! cb()` error.


### NPM

It's recommended to use the install script.

```bash
npm install -g stacker
```


### Common Install Errors

```bash
...
flags for v8 3.26.33 cached.
npm ERR! cb() never called!
```

[StackOverflow thread](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15393821/npm-err-cb-never-called) and
[Github issue](https://github.com/npm/npm/issues/5920)

There's a bug in npm that should be fixed in 2.0.2. Rerunning the install script fixes the issues.

# Uninstall

```bash
curl -sS --tlsv1.2 https://raw.githubusercontent.com/getstacker/stacker/master/uninstall | sh -e
```


# Plugins

Stacker plugins are NPM modules.


## Developing a Plugin

Use `npm link` to add your work-in-progress plugin to stacker.

```bash
# Create the plugin directory
mkdir my-new-plugin
cd my-new-plugin

# Setup the package.json file
npm init

# Link the current directory into npm's global node_modules so stacker can find it
npm link

# Add the new plugin link to stacker
stacker link my-new-plugin
```


# API

- https://github.com/gulpjs/gulp/blob/master/docs/API.md
- https://github.com/gulpjs/gulp/tree/master/docs/recipes
- https://github.com/osscafe/gulp-cheatsheet



# TODO

- setup gulp processor with global injection for task, sh, etc

- setup config parsing with stacker header support
  - parse all *.stack files in project by default
  - if no header, output file in same dir without the .stack extension

- add support for injecting common header in output conf file
  - support ini, bash/sh, coffeescript/javascript, ruby, etc. types ...
  - or support comment syntax setting in .stack header

- create official DSL support with [jison](http://zaach.github.io/jison/docs/)


# Credits

Stacker logo (Squares) designed by [Nicholas Menghini](http://www.thenounproject.com/nl_menghini) from the [Noun Project](http://www.thenounproject.com).