Customize Zshy Binary Name For CLI Tools In Monorepos

Hey there! 👋

It sounds like you're diving into the world of monorepos and CLI tools, which is awesome! Let's break down this challenge you're facing with zshy and custom binary names.

The Situation

You've got a monorepo setup, and you're using zshy to manage your CLI tool. The structure looks something like this:

{
  "name": "@org/cli",
  "zshy": {
    "exports": "./src/cli.ts",
    "bin": "./src/cli.ts",
    "cjs": false,
    "conditions": {
      // ...
    }
  }
}

The problem? The package.json#zshy#bin field only lets you specify the path to your CLI entry point (e.g., ./src/cli.ts). This results in a package.json#bin field like this:

{
  "bin": "./dist/cli.js"
}

Because your package is named @org/cli, your CLI binary gets registered simply as cli. But you're aiming for a custom name, something that better fits your project's needs. So, the big question is:

Can you actually customize the binary name with zshy? And if so, how?

Let's explore this!

Understanding the Challenge

When building CLI tools, the binary name is crucial. It's what users type in their terminal to execute your tool. By default, many tools and bundlers (like zshy in this case) will use the package name to derive the binary name. This often leads to the behavior you're seeing: the binary name defaulting to the package name's suffix (e.g., cli for @org/cli).

But, as you've realized, this isn't always ideal. You might want a more descriptive name, a shorter alias, or simply a name that avoids conflicts with other tools.

Diving Deeper into package.json#bin

To understand how we can solve this, let's quickly recap the package.json#bin field. This field is the standard way Node.js packages declare executable files. It's a map where:

• The key is the desired binary name (the command users will type).
• The value is the path to the executable script.

For example:

{
  "bin": {
    "my-cool-cli": "./dist/cli.js"
  }
}

In this case, users would run your CLI tool by typing my-cool-cli in their terminal. This is exactly the kind of control you're looking for!

Possible Solutions and Workarounds

Now, let's get to the heart of the matter: how can you achieve this with zshy?

1. Directly Modifying package.json (Post-Build)

The most straightforward approach is to modify the generated package.json file after zshy has done its initial build. This might sound a bit hacky, but it's often the simplest solution.

Here's the idea:

1. Run zshy to generate your dist directory and initial package.json.
2. Use a script (Node.js, shell, etc.) to read the generated package.json.
3. Modify the bin field to your desired structure.
4. Write the modified package.json back to disk.

Here's a basic Node.js example:

const fs = require('fs');
const path = require('path');

const packageJsonPath = path.resolve(__dirname, 'dist', 'package.json');

fs.readFile(packageJsonPath, 'utf8', (err, data) => {
  if (err) {
    console.error('Failed to read package.json:', err);
    process.exit(1);
  }

  const packageJson = JSON.parse(data);

  packageJson.bin = {
    'your-custom-name': packageJson.bin['cli'] // Assuming the original name is "cli"
  };

  fs.writeFile(packageJsonPath, JSON.stringify(packageJson, null, 2), err => {
    if (err) {
      console.error('Failed to write package.json:', err);
      process.exit(1);
    }
    console.log('package.json modified successfully!');
  });
});

You can then add this script to your build process (e.g., as a post-build step in your package.json scripts).

Pros:

• Simple to implement.
• Gives you full control over the bin field.

Cons:

• Feels a bit like a workaround rather than a direct solution.
• Adds an extra step to your build process.
• You might need to adjust the script if zshy's output changes.

2. Exploring zshy Configuration (Feature Request?)

The ideal solution would be if zshy provided a way to directly configure the binary name. This could be through a new option in the zshy section of your package.json or a dedicated configuration file.

This is where you might consider opening a feature request or discussion with the zshy maintainers. Explain your use case (monorepo, custom CLI names) and suggest a way to configure the binary name. They might be open to adding this feature in a future release!

In the meantime, you could dive into zshy's documentation or source code to see if there are any hidden options or workarounds. But this might be a more time-consuming approach.

Pros:

• Cleanest and most direct solution (if implemented).
• No need for post-build scripts.

Cons:

• Requires changes to zshy itself.
• Might take time for the feature to be implemented.

3. Using a Different Bundler/CLI Framework

If customizing the binary name is a critical requirement and zshy doesn't offer a solution, you might consider exploring alternative bundlers or CLI frameworks. There are many great tools out there, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

Some popular options include:

• esbuild: A super-fast JavaScript bundler.
• Rollup: Another popular bundler, known for its tree-shaking capabilities.
• oclif: A framework specifically designed for building CLIs in Node.js.
• Commander.js: A lightweight library for parsing command-line arguments.

Switching tools can be a significant undertaking, so weigh the pros and cons carefully. But if it unlocks the flexibility you need, it might be worth considering.

Pros:

• Gives you full control over the build process and CLI structure.
• May offer other benefits in terms of performance, features, or maintainability.

Cons:

• Significant time investment to migrate.
• Requires learning a new toolchain.

4. Leveraging npm Scripts and Symlinks (Advanced)

This is a more advanced technique, but it can be quite powerful. The idea is to create a custom npm script that:

1. Builds your CLI using zshy.
2. Creates a symbolic link (symlink) in your node_modules/.bin directory pointing to your compiled CLI script, but with your desired custom name.

Here's a conceptual example:

{
  "scripts": {
    "build": "zshy",
    "postinstall": "npm run build && node scripts/create-symlink.js"
  }
}

And the scripts/create-symlink.js script might look something like this:

const fs = require('fs');
const path = require('path');

const target = path.resolve(__dirname, 'dist', 'cli.js'); // Path to your compiled CLI
const link = path.resolve(__dirname, 'node_modules', '.bin', 'your-custom-name'); // Desired binary name

fs.symlink(target, link, err => {
  if (err) {
    console.error('Failed to create symlink:', err);
    process.exit(1);
  }
  console.log('Symlink created successfully!');
});

Important Considerations:

• Symlink creation might require administrator privileges on some systems.
• This approach might not work perfectly in all environments (e.g., CI/CD systems).
• It's crucial to handle errors and edge cases carefully.

Pros:

• Can provide a clean way to customize the binary name without modifying the package.json directly.

Cons:

• More complex to set up and maintain.
• Potential portability issues due to symlink handling.

Recommendation

Given your situation, I'd recommend starting with option 1 (directly modifying package.json post-build). It's the simplest and most pragmatic solution to get you unblocked quickly. You can then explore option 2 (feature request to zshy) in parallel. This will help improve the tool for yourself and others in the long run.

Options 3 and 4 are more advanced and should be considered if the simpler approaches don't meet your needs or if you're facing significant limitations with zshy in other areas.

Wrapping Up

Customizing binary names is a common challenge when building CLI tools, especially in monorepo environments. While zshy might not offer a direct way to do this currently, there are several workarounds you can use. Remember to choose the solution that best fits your project's complexity and your team's expertise.

Good luck with your CLI tool! Let me know if you have any more questions. 👍