CodeMeta Tools

CodeMeta Tools provides a simple command line tool called cmt that can be used to generate project files and artifacts. It also provides a tool called cme to edit and manage the CodeMeta file. The project focuses on leveraging CodeMeta data, directory name and Git repo information for building and release software written in Python, Go, JavaScript or TypeScript. It was motivated by the practices in Caltech Library’s Digital Development Group.

The tools are intended to be run from the project root directory. cmt expects the file path of your codemeta.json file as well as one or more target files to be generated. The target file’s extension determines the generated content. The tool can generate the following project files based on the contents of the codemeta.json file. cme expects the file path of your codemeta.json file and optionally the attributes of the CodeMeta object you wish to manage.

cme is used to create and manage “codemeta.json”. cmt is used to generate the following.

Create and manage your file

cme is for managing your “codemeta.json” file. If only the “codemeta.json” file is provided then you’ll be in an “interactive” mode. You will be prompted for each top level attribute. You either press enter and accept the current value or replace the value. For complex attributes like “author”, and “keywords”1 you use YAML notation followed by a line containing only a period to indicate completion. If you enter only the line with a period then the current value remains. Here’s an example of setting up to use cme to create and edit the “codemeta.json” file.

cme codemeta.json

The will let you iterate over the top level CodeMeta object attributes. For multi line or list attributes your favorite editor will be used to create or update the values.

Here’s an example of updating the version and .releaseNotes attributes but instead of the direct input you edit the value using the Micro Editor2.

cme codemeta.json version releaseNotes -e

Since the version is short you’ll just be prompted to type in a new version string. You release notes maybe longer so for that you’ll drop into your editor.

Create a version file for TypeScript, Go and Python

The cmt command can render a version file suitable for TypeScript, JavaScript, Go and Python projects. The version file will contain version name, release hash, release date and license information. Here’s an example of rendering a “version.ts” for the CMTools project.

cmt codemeta.json version.ts

For Go you would do,

cmt codemeta.json version.go

and for Python.

cmt codemeta.json version.py

Creating an about.md

The codemeta file contains sufficient information to rendering an about page for your project. Rendering a Markdown document for that purpose can be done with the following.

cmt codemeta.json about.md

Create a simple project handlebars template

A handlebars template can be generated from the codemeta.json as well.

cmt codemeta.json page.hbs

This Handlebars template then can be used along with a handlebars template script to build the website from your repository.

Create a project Pandoc template

A Pandoc template can be generated from the codemeta.json as well.

cmt codemeta.json page.tmpl

Additional Project Documentation

  1. For a full list of complex fields see the user manual for cme.↩︎

  2. You need to have Micro Editor installed for this to work.↩︎