Initialize async API

[herecydev]

Support an API "hook" that runs very early when loading the remix.config.js. You can currently hack it with routes as that supports async but would be better to support a more idiomatic api.

Example:

module.exports = {
  serverBuildTarget: "cloudflare-pages",
  server: "./server.js",
  initialize: async () => {
    // do some async work here that might be needed before building
  },
  pages: async () => {
  }
};

Motivation: I need to create localized text labels that would be generated at "build time", so the same app could be translated in English, Spanish, etc. This would be done within the initialize function, fetching the translations, building a file and then the app code would reference that generated file

[kiliman]

Here’s a tip. When you are suggesting changes it’s always helpful to include your usecase. Ryan responds better to actual needs vs “what-ifs”. It helps them to come up with a good design vs just haphazardly adding extensibility points.

[herecydev]

Updated with a motivation

[sergiodxa]

How do you want to access the data initialized there?

[herecydev]

const fs = require("fs-extra")

module.exports = {
  ignoredRouteFiles: ["**/.*"],
  initialize: () => {
    // go and fetch some data from 3rd party, database, etc
    await fs.outputFile('./labels.ts', 'export default { buttonText: "Buy" }')
  }
};

And then referenced in app:

import labels from "labels";

export default function Index() {
  return <button>{labels.buttonText}</button>
}

[sergiodxa]

So you want to generate a module and be able to import it, why not run a prebuild script then?
You could create a scripts/labels.js file in your project (outside app) and in the package.json add

{
  "scripts": {
    "prebuild": "node scripts/labels.js",
    "build": "remix build",
    "dev": "remix dev",
    "start": "remix-serve build"
  }
}

Then, every time you run npm run build it will first run your scripts, generate that labels.ts file and your app can import it.

[herecydev]

On the surface that might be fine, is it enough to rely on all adapters supporting running multiple scripts? I don't have enough experience in every adapter. For example if an adapter can only run a single command like remix build?

[sergiodxa]

If the adapter runs npm run build you can rely on prebuild, and I'm sure they all do it.

[herecydev]

Fine; it looks like it will solve the use case I have so I appreciate you reaching out with a solution.