app.json
app.json
is a manifest format for describing web apps. It's a file in the root
directory of your app that describes build requirements, environment variables, addons,
and other information.
This repository contains the source for an npm module called app.json, which has many facets:
- A JavaScript interface for creating, validating, and producing app.json manifests.
- A module that is designed to work in browsers and Node.js.
- A command-line interface (CLI) for cloning apps, creating manifests, and producing schema documentation.
For more info about app.json
, see
- Introducing the app.json Application Manifest
- app.json Schema
- Setting Up Apps using the Platform API
Command Line Usage
To use the command line tool, install it globally using npm:
npm install app.json --global
Now you can run app.json
(or simply app
) on the command line.
Cloning apps
You can use the CLI to create new Heroku apps from publicly-accessible .tar.gz
or .tgz
files (colloquially known as "tarballs"), or from GitHub and Bitbucket URLs. The general form is:
app.json clone <repo> [new-app-name]
repo
is required.new-app-name
is optional.
Here are some examples:
# GitHub shorthand URL
app.json clone github:zeke/slideshow
# GitHub shorthand URL with branch
app.json clone github:zeke/slideshow#master
# Bitbucket shorthand URL
app.json clone bitbucket:sikelianos/slideshow
# Bitbucket shorthand URL with branch
app.json clone bitbucket:sikelianos/slideshow#master
# GitHub full URL
app.json clone https://github.com/zeke/slideshow.git my-slideshow
# Tarball URL
app.json clone http://app.json.s3.amazonaws.com/zeke-slideshow-a95e802.tar.gz
Creating a manifest
The init
command will create a new app.json
file in your current
working directory. If the directory already has a Heroku git remote in .git/config
,
the CLI will attempt to populate the env
and addons
properties of the new
app.json
file with live data from your running Heroku app.
app.json init
Validating a manifest
Use the validate
command to ensure that your app.json
file conforms to the
schema.
app.json validate
Updating a manifest
Use the update
command to fetch the latest addons
and env
properties from
a running Heroku app.
app.json update
Programmatic usage with Node.js or Browserify
Download the module from npm and save it to your package.json:
npm install app.json --save
Require it in your script:
var App = require("app.json")
Usage in the Browser (without Browserify)
If browserify isn't your thing, use the pre-compiled browser-ready bundle in
dist/app.json.js. Include this file in your html page and it will create
window.App
for you.
You can also use Bower if that's your thing:
bower install app.json
Schema
The app.json schema is defined using the JSON Schema specification and is validated with the revalidator node module. View the raw schema or the auto-generated app.json Schema Documentation on Heroku Dev Center.
Class Methods
App.new(payload)
Instantiate with a JSON filename:
var app = App.new(__dirname + "/path/to/app.json")
Instantiate with a JSON string:
var json = "{name: \"small-sharp-tool\", description: \"This app does one little thing, and does it well.\"}"
var app = App.new(json)
Instantiate with a JavaScript object:
var app = App.new({
name: "small-sharp-tool",
description: "This app does one little thing, and does it well."
})
App.fetch(url, callback)
You can fetch app manifests straight from GitHub or Bitbucket. The
app-json-fetcher service is used
to make the app.json
file downloadable from browsers.
url
can be a fully qualified repository URL or a shorthand string in the form github:user/repo
or bitbucket:user/repo
App.fetch("github:zeke/slideshow", function(err, manifest) {
console.log(err, manifest)
})
App.example
Generates an example manifest from example
properties in the schema.
App.example
Instance Methods
app.valid
A getter method that validates the app manifest and returns true
or false
app.errors
Returns an array of error objects:
[
{property: "name", message: "is required"},
{property: "website", message: "is not a valid url"}
]
If the manifest is valid, an empty array is returned.
app.toJSON
Returns a pretty JSON string of the manifest, minus any undocumented properties.
app.getAddonPrices(callback)
Fetch pricing data about the app's required addons by hitting the Heroku Platform API.
Contributing
See CONTRIBUTING.md
License
MIT