AddOn creation

[blondie63]

I created a minimal app with Laravel 12.x and Backpack 6.x dedicated to developing two Backpack addons, which has its own git repo. Now that the features are complete, I've read the guide: https://backpackforlaravel.com/docs/6.x/add-ons-tutorial-using-the-addon-skeleton

but the steps to create the two addons aren't clear to me. Do you have any detailed advice?

Thanks

[backpack-ai-bot[bot]]

Certainly! Here’s a step-by-step summary, based strictly on the official Backpack documentation, for turning your completed features into two separate Backpack add-ons:

1. Build and Test Features in Your App First
   Make sure your features are fully working inside your Laravel + Backpack project before you start packaging. This makes it easier to test and ensures you’re only moving code that’s already functional. Use git status to see which files you’ll need to move to the package later.
   See: Build the Functionality in Your Project

2. Generate the Addon Package Skeletons
   For each addon, run:

   composer require jeroen-g/laravel-packager --dev
   php artisan packager:new --i --skeleton="https://github.com/Laravel-Backpack/addon-skeleton/archive/master.zip"

   Fill in the prompts (vendor name, package name, etc.). This creates /packages/vendor-name/package-name and updates your composer.json to autoload it.
   See: Generate the package folder

3. Initialize a Git Repo for Each Addon
   Inside each package folder:

   cd packages/vendor-name/package-name
   git init
   find . -name ".gitkeep" -exec rm -rf {} \; # optional, cleans up empty folders
   git add .
   git commit -am "generated package code using laravel-packager and the backpack addon-skeleton"

   This keeps your add-ons versioned separately from your main app.
   See: Initialize a git repo and make your first package commit

4. Move Functionality from App to Addon

   • PHP classes: Move from app/ to src/ in your package.
   • Routes: If needed, move to routes/package-name.php.
   • Views: Move to resources/views/ in your package. They’ll be available as vendor-name.package-name::viewname.
   • Migrations, Seeders, Factories: Move to the corresponding database/ folders.
   • Helpers: If you have any, move them to bootstrap/helpers.php in your package.
   • Dependencies: Add any extra Composer dependencies to your package’s composer.json.
     See: Move the functionality from your project to your package

5. Test the Addon in Your App
   Make sure everything works as before, but now with the code inside the package. Only minimal changes (like composer.json or config) should remain in your main app.
   See: Test that the package works

6. Push Each Addon to Its Own GitHub Repo
   Create a new GitHub repo for each addon, add it as a remote, and push your code and tags:

   git remote add origin [email protected]:yourusername/yourrepository.git
   git branch -M main
   git push -u origin main
   git tag -a 1.0.0 -m 'First version'
   git push --tags

   See: Put The Package Online

7. (Optional) Publish on Packagist
   Register your package on Packagist.org so others can install it via Composer.
   See: Make the package public (on Packagist)

Tip: Repeat these steps for each addon, keeping their code and git history separate.

If you need more detail on any step, let me know!

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Relevant sources:

Create an Add-On using our Addon Skeleton|Helper functions inside your project's bootstrap\helpers.php file
Features (Free vs Paid)|Add-ons
Create a new Backpack Theme|Step 1. Initialize a git repo and make your first package commit