meteor/docs/client/full-api/api/packagejs.md

{{#template name="apiPackagejs"}}

Package.js

{{#markdown}} A package is a directory containing a package.js file, which contains roughly three major sections: a basic description, a package definition, and a test definition. By default, the directory name is the name of the package.

The package.js file below is an example of how to use the packaging API. The rest of this section will explain the specific API commands in greater detail.

/* Information about this package */
Package.describe({
  // Short two-sentence summary.
  summary: "What this does",
  // Version number.
  version: "1.0.0",
  // Optional.  Default is package directory name.
  name: "username:package-name",
  // Optional github URL to your source repository.
  git: "https://github.com/something/something.git",
});

/* This defines your actual package */
Package.onUse(function (api) {
  // If no version is specified for an 'api.use' dependency, use the
  // one defined in Meteor 0.9.0.
  api.versionsFrom('0.9.0');
  // Use Underscore package, but only on the server.
  // Version not specified, so it will be as of Meteor 0.9.0.
  api.use('underscore', 'server');
  // Use application-configuration package, version 1.0.0 or newer.
  api.use('application-configuration@1.0.0');
  // Give users of this package access to the Templating package.
  api.imply('templating')
  // Export the object 'Email' to packages or apps that use this package.
  api.export('Email', 'server');
  // Specify the source code for the package.
  api.addFiles('email.js', 'server');
});

/* This defines the tests for the package */
Package.onTest(function (api) {
  // Sets up a dependency on this package
  api.use('username:package-name');
  // Allows you to use the 'tinytest' framework
  api.use('tinytest@1.0.0');
  // Specify the source code for the package tests
  api.addFiles('email_tests.js', 'server');
});

/* This lets you use npm packages in your package*/
Npm.depends({
  simplesmtp: "0.3.10",
  "stream-buffers": "0.2.5"});

Build plugins are created with Package.registerBuildPlugin. See the coffeescript package for an example. Build plugins are fully-fledged Meteor programs in their own right and have their own namespace, package dependencies, source files and npm requirements.

Package Description

Provide basic package information with Package.describe(options). To publish a package, you must define summary and version.

{{/markdown}}

{{> autoApiBox "Package.describe"}}

Package Definition

{{#markdown}} Define dependencies and expose package methods with the Package.onUse handler. This section lets you define what packages your package depends on, what packages are implied by your package, and what object your package is exported to. {{/markdown}}

{{> autoApiBox "Package.onUse"}}

{{> autoApiBox "PackageAPI#versionsFrom" }} {{> autoApiBox "PackageAPI#use" }} {{> autoApiBox "PackageAPI#imply" }} {{> autoApiBox "PackageAPI#export" }} {{> autoApiBox "PackageAPI#addFiles" }}

Unit Tests

{{#markdown}} Set up your tests with the Package.onTest handler, which has an interface that's parallel to that of the onUse handler. The tests will need to depend on the package that you have just created. For example, if your package is the email package, you have to call api.use('email') in order to test the package.

If you used meteor create to set up your package, Meteor will create the required scaffolding in package.js, and you'll only need to add unit test code in the _test.js file that was created. {{/markdown}}

{{> autoApiBox "Package.onTest"}}

External Packages and Plugins

{{#markdown}} Meteor packages can include NPM packages and Cordova plugins by using Npm.depends and Cordova.depends in the package.js file. {{/markdown}}

{{> autoApiBox "Npm.depends"}} {{> autoApiBox "Npm.require"}} {{> autoApiBox "Cordova.depends"}} {{> autoApiBox "Package.registerBuildPlugin"}} {{> autoApiBox "Plugin.registerSourceHandler"}}

{{/template}}