/clojure-deps-edn

User level aliases and Clojure CLI configuration for deps.edn based projects

Practicalli Clojure deps.edn user wide configuration for Clojure projects

clj-kondo GitHub action

User level configuration for Clojure CLI tools

practicalli/clojure-deps-edn provides a user level configuration, containing over 30 aliases to support Clojure CLI and tools.deps project development. These aliases use meaningful and descriptive names to avoid clashes with project specific aliases, ensuring that the user wide aliases remain available in all projects.

Aliases with common options are provided for convenience and to minimize the amount of cognitive load required to remember how to use aliases. Initial inspiration taken from seancorfield/dot-clojure.

The Practicalli Clojure book uses this configuration extensively to help you develop Clojure projects and learn the Clojure language.

MAJOR CHANGES: practicalli/clojure-deps-edn recommends using Clojure CLI tools version 1.10.1.697 or later. Aliases are now qualified keywords, which is recommended in general for using keywords in Clojure. Use the classic-aliases tag for the last version of this repository before these changes

Contents

For use with Clojure CLI tools version 1.10.1.697 or above

Check the version of Clojure CLI tools currently installed

clojure -Sdescribe

Install Practicalli clojure-deps-edn

Clojure CLI tools creates a configuration directory called .clojure, which by default is placed in the root of the operating system user account directory, e.g. $HOME/.clojure.

XDG_CONFIG_HOME may be set by your operating system and over-rides the default location, e.g. $HOME/.config/.clojure

CLJ_CONFIG can be used to over-ride all other location settings

Check the location of your Clojure configuration directory by running clojure -Sdescribe and checking the :config-user value.

Fork the practicalli/clojure-deps-edn repository and clone your fork to an existing .clojure/ directory (eg. $HOME/.clojure or %HOME%\.clojure).

git clone your-fork-url ~/.clojure/

The configuration from .clojure/deps.edn is now available for all Clojure CLI projects for that user account.

Using Practicalli clojure-deps-edn

Any directory containing a deps.edn file is considered a Clojure project. A deps.edn file can contain an empty hash-map, {} or hash-map with configuration, usually :paths and :dependencies and perhaps some :aliases.

The project deps.edn file is merged with the user wide configuration, e.g $HOME/.clojure/deps.edn, with the project deps.edn keys taking precedence if there is duplication, otherwise they are merged.

Configuration passed via the command line when running clojure or the clj wrapper will take precedence over the project and user level configuration if there is duplication, otherwise they are merged.

Clojure CLI tools deps.edn configuration precedence

See the rest of this readme for examples of how to use each alias this configuration contains.

Updating Practicalli clojure-deps-edn

The collection of aliases is regularly reviewed and expanded upon and suggestions are most welcome.

The versions of libraries are manually updated at least once per month using the :outdated alias and a new version of the deps.edn file pushed to this repository. The antq project is used to report new library versions, sent to an org file which is then used to update the changelog.

cd ~/.clojure/
clojure -M:project/outdated > outdated.org

Common development tasks

How to run common tasks for Clojure development.

  • Built-in tasks require no additional configuration.
  • User aliases should be added to ~/.clojure/deps.edn.
  • Project aliases should be added to the individual project deps.edn file (or may be part of a template).
  • User/Project alias can be defined in both user and project deps.edn files (typically added to project deps.edn for external running such as Continuous Integration)
Task Command Configuration
Create project (clojure exec) clojure -X:project/new :template app :name practicalli/my-app User alias
Run REPL (rebel readline) clojure -M:repl/rebel User alias
Run REPL (rebel and nrepl) clojure -M:repl/rebel-nrepl User alias
Run REPL (rebel and reveal data visualization) clojure -M:repl/rebel-reveal User alias
Run ClojureScipt REPL with nREPL (editor support) clojure -M:repl/cljs-nrepl User alias
Download dependencies clojure -Spath or clojure -P (plus optional aliases) Built-in
Find libraries (mvn & git) clojure -M:project/find-deps library-name User alias
Generate image of project dependency graph clojure -X:project/graph-deps User alias
Check for new dependency versions clojure -M:project/outdated User alias
Run tests clojure -M:test/runner User/Project alias
Run the project clojure -M -m domain.main-namespace Built-in
Run the project* clojure -X:project/run Project alias
Package library clojure -X:project/jar User/Project alias
Deploy library locally clojure -X:deps mvn-install Built-in
Package application clojure -X:project/uberjar User/Project alias

Add alias :project/run to the deps.edn file in the root of a project: :project/run {:ns-default domain.namespace :exec-fn -main} - see this video for an example https://youtu.be/u5VoFpsntXc?t=2166

Most aliases use the -M flag. Only use the -X flag when you know it is supported by that task

Aliases

Aliases provide additional configuration when running a REPL, an application or to use a community tool.

  • add or remove dependencies
  • add or remove directories on the class path
  • define a function or main namespace to run, along with arguments

Clojure CLI main flag options

Flag Purpose Config used
-M Run Clojure project with clojure.main deps, path, :main-opts & command line args
-P Prepare / dry run (CI servers, Containers) deps, path
-P -M:aliases Prepare / dry run including alias deps and paths deps, path
-P -X:aliases Prepare / dry run including alias deps and paths deps, path
-X Execute a qualified function, optional default arguments deps, path, :exec-fn, :exec-args & :key val args
-J Java Virtual Machine specific options (menory size, etc)
  • deps = :deps, :extra-deps, replace-deps
  • path = :path, :extra-paths, replace-paths

REPL terminal UI

Run an interactive REPL on the command line with the simple REPL UI or Rebel readline for a feature rich REPL experience. nREPL server is started by default, so that editors and other command line sessions can connect to the same REPL.

See Middleware aliases to run a headless REPL process without a REPL UI

Use the :env/dev alias with the :repl aliases to include dev/ in classpath and configure REPL startup actions using dev/user.clj

Command Description
clojure -M:repl/rebel Run a Clojure REPL using Rebel Readline
clojure -M:env/dev:repl/rebel Run a Clojure REPL using Rebel Readline, including deps and path from :env/dev alias to configure REPL start
clojure -M:repl/rebel-cljs Run a ClojureScript REPL using Rebel Readline

:repl/help in the Rebel UI for help and available commands. :repl/quit to close the REPL.

Data Inspectors section defines :inspect/reveal alias for a Reveal REPL with visualization, along with other data visualization tools.

REPL with Editor

Run an interactive REPL on the command line with the simple terminal UI, including an nREPL server and Cider libraries to support connections from Clojure editors, e.g. Conjure, CIDER and Calva.

Command Description
clojure -M:repl/nrepl Clojure REPL with nREPL server for editor support
clojure -M:repl/cljs-nrepl ClojureScipt REPL with nREPL for editor support
clojure -M:repl/cider Clojure REPL with nREPL server and Cider-nrepl
clojure -M:repl/cider-refactor Clojure REPL with nREPL server, Cider-nrepl and clj-refactor
clj -M:repl/reveal-nrepl Clojure REPL with Reveal data visualization and nREPL interactively
clj -M:repl/reveal-light-nrepl Clojure REPL with Reveal data visualization (light theme) and nREPL interactively

Hotload libraries into a running REPL

Use the :lib/hotload alias in front of any of the above aliases to enable hotloading of libraries into a running REPL process.

clojure -M:lib/hotload:repl/rebel enables hotloading in the REPL terminal UI.

clojure -M:lib/hotload:env/dev:repl/rebel enables hotloading, included the dev directory (to auto-load user.clj) with a REPL terminal UI.

Remote REPL connection

Connect to the nREPL server of a remote REPL using nREPL connect, using a simple terminal UI

clj -M:repl/remote --host hostname --port 12345

As above but using the enhanced Rebel Readline UI

clj -M:repl/rebel-remote --host hostname --port 12345

Alternative REPLs

Clojure 1.10.x onward can run a Socket Server for serving a socket-based REPL (Clojure and ClojureScript). tubular is a Socket Server client for Clojure and Clojurescript REPLs.

PREPL is a REPL with structured output. See Cloure socket prepl cookbook for examples.

Command Description
clojure -M:repl/socket Clojure REPL using Socket Server on port 50505
clojure -M:repl/socket-zero As above but on first available port (container, cloud environment)
clojure -M:repl/socket-zero -r As above but and run a REPL
clojure -M:repl/socket-node ClojureScript REPL using Socket Server on port 55555
clojure -M:repl/socket-browser ClojureScript REPL using Socket Server on port 58585
clojure -M:repl/socket-client Socket REPL client on port 50505 (tubular)
clojure -M:repl/prepl Clojure REPL using PREPL Server on port 40404
clojure -M:repl/prepl-cljs Clojure REPL using PREPL Server on port 44444

Clojure Projects

  • Create projects from deps, leiningen and boot templates with clj-new
  • Check and update project dependencies
  • Package projects as jar and uberjars
  • Deploy projects locally and to Clojars

Create new projects from templates

  • :project/new - create a new project from a template

Create a new project (via clojure.main - classic approach - recommended for Windows to ensure template arguments are parsed correctly)

clojure -M:project/new luminus practicalli/full-stack-app +http-kit +h2 +reagent +auth

Create a new project (Edn command line arguments - recommended approach - except for Windows)

Command Description
clojure -X:project/new library project called playground
clojure -X:project/new :name practicalli/my-library library project with given name
clojure -X:project/new :template app :name practicalli/my-application App project with given name
clojure -X:project/new :template luminus :name practicalli/full-stack-app :args '["+http-kit" "+h2"]' Luminus project with given name and template options
clojure -X:project/new :template figwheel-main :name practicalli/landing-page :args '["--reagent"]' ClojureScript Figwheel-main project with reagent

Running projects

Run project with or without an alias:

clojure -M:alias -m domain.app-name
clojure -M -m domain.app-name

The -M flag is required even if an alias is not included in the running of the application. A warning will be displayed if the -M option is missing.

In the project deps.edn file it could be useful to define an alias to run the project, specifying the main namespace, the function to run and optionally any default arguments that are passed to that function.

:project/run
{:ns-default domain.main-namespace
 :exec-fn -main
 :exec-args {:port 8888}}

Then the project can be run using clojure -X:project/run and arguments can optionally be included in this command line, to complement or replace any default aruments in exec-args.

Project dependencies

Command Description
clojure -M:project/outdated report newer versions for maven and git dependencies
clojure -M:project/outdated-mvn check for newer dependencies (maven only)
clojure -M:project/check detailed report of compilation errors for a project
clojure -M:project/find-deps library-name fuzzy search Maven & Clojars
clojure -M:project/find-deps -F:merge library-name fuzzy search Maven & Clojars and save to project deps.edn
clojure -X:project/graph-deps generate png image of project dependencies from projet deps.edn file
clojure -M:project/outdated report newer versions for maven and git dependencies
clojure -M:project/outdated-mvn check for newer dependencies (maven only)

Project analysis

Carve - static analysis of code (clj-kondo) and remove or report unused vars

Command Description
clojure -M:project/unused --opts '{:paths ["src" "test"]}' remove unused vars from the src and test paths
clojure -M:project/unused --opts '{:paths ["src" "test"] :report {:format :text}} ' report unused vars from the src and test paths

Generate report in a file:

clojure -M:project/unused --opts '{:paths ["src" "test"] :report {:format :ignore}}' > .carve/ignore

Project packaging

Build a project archive file for deployment

Command Description
clojure -X:project/jar :main-class domain.app-name package project.jar for deps.edn project (publish library)
clojure -X:project/uberjar :main-class domain.app-name package uber.jar for deps.edn project (deploy application)

Additionally specify :jar name and if ahead of time compilation should be used (default true)

clojure -X:project/jar :jar '"practicalli.app.jar"' :aot false :main-class domain.app-name

Project Deployment

Deploy a project archive file locally or to Clojars.org

Command Description
clojure -X:deps mvn-install project.jar [NEW] deploy jar file to local maven repository, i.e. ~/.m2/repository
clojure -M:project/clojars project.jar deploy jar file to Clojars
clojure -M:project/clojars-signed project.jar deploy signed jar file to Clojars

Set Clojars username/token in CLOJARS_USERNAME and CLOJARS_PASSWORD environment variables.

Set fully qualified artifact-name and version in project pom.xml file

Path to project.jar can also be set in alias to simplify the Clojure command.

clojure -X:deps mvn-install project.jar for local deployment of jars is part of the 1.10.1.697 release of the Clojure CLI tools in September 2020.

Formatting

  • :format/zprint filename - format clojure code and Edn data structures in the given file

Java Sources

Include Java source on the classpath to look up Java Class and method definitions, eg. cider-find-var in Emacs Requires: Java sources installed locally (e.g. "/usr/lib/jvm/openjdk-11/lib/src.zip")

  • :lib/java8-source
  • :lib/java11-source

Use the aliases with either -M or -X flags on the Clojure command line.

Databases and drivers

Databases and drivers, typically for development time inclusion such as embedded databases

  • :database/h2 - H2 embedded database library and next.jdbc

clojure -M:database/h2 - run a REPL with an embedded H2 database and next.jdbc libraries

https://cljdoc.org/d/seancorfield/next.jdbc/CURRENT/doc/getting-started#create--populate-a-database

Use the aliases with either -M or -X flags on the Clojure command line.

Data Inspectors

REPL driven data inspectors and tap> sources for visualizing data.

Portal

Navigate data in the form of edn, json and transit Practicalli Clojure -data browsers section - portal

  • inspect/portal-cli - Clojure CLI (simplest approach)
  • inspect/portal-web - Web ClojureScript REPL
  • inspect/portal-node - node ClojureScript REPL
Command Description
clojure -M:inspect/portal-cli Clojure REPL with Portal dependency
clojure -M:inspect/portal-web ClojureScript web browswer REPL with Portal dependency
`clojure -M:inspect/portal-node** ClojureScript node.js REPL with Portal dependency

Using Portal once running (require '[portal.api :as portal]) once the REPL starts. For inspect/portal-web use (require '[portal.web :as portal]) instead

(portal/open) to open the web based inspector window in a browser.

(portal/tap) to add portal as a tap target (add-tap)

(tap> {:accounts [{:name "jen" :email "jen@jen.com"} {:name "sara" :email "sara@sara.com"}]}) to send data to the portal inspector window (or any other data you wish to send)

(portal/clear) to clear all values from the portal inspector window.

(portal/close) to close the inspector window.

Reveal data inspector and visualization tool

Reveal - run a Terminal REPL with data visualisation or connect with nREPL, socket or prepl connection and use from any [Clojure aware editor](Clojure aware editors). Reveal can also used as a tap> source for more powerful manual debugging.

  • :inspect/reveal - visualisation with terminal REPL.
  • :inspect/reveal-light - as above with light theme and 32 point Ubuntu Mono font
  • :inspect/reveal-nrepl - visualization for Clojure aware editors via an nrepl server
  • :inspec/reveal-light-nrepl - as above with light theme and 32 point Ubuntu Mono font
  • :inspect/reveal-nrepl-cider - visualization tool for Emacs Cider / Spacemacs / VSCode Calva
  • :inspec/reveal-light-nrepl-cider - as above with light theme and 32 point Ubuntu Mono font
Command Description
clojure -M:inspect/reveal start a Reveal repl with data visualization window (cloure.main)
clojure -M:inspect/reveal-light as above with light theme and large font
clojure -X:inspect/reveal start a Reveal repl with data visualization window (clojure exec)
clojure -X:inspect/reveal-light as above with light theme and large font
clojure -M:inspect/reveal-nrepl Start nrepl server to use Cider / Calva editors with reveal
clojure -X:inspect/reveal-light-nrepl as above with light theme and large font
clojure -M:inspect/reveal-rebel Start a Rebel REPL with Reveal Visualizations
clojure -M:inspect/reveal-light-rebel Start a Rebel REPL with Reveal Visualizations & light theme
clojure -M:inspect/reveal:repl/rebel Start a Rebel REPL with Reveal dependency. Add reveal as tap> source
`clojure -M:inspect/reveal-light:repl/rebel** Start a Rebel REPL with Reveal dependency & light theme. Add reveal as tap> source

Connecting nREPL based editors Use the :inspect/reveal-nrepl alias when running the REPL, either in the terminal or via an nREPL based editor (CIDER, Calva, Conjure, Cursive, etc.)

Alternatively, add an .nrepl.edn file to the root of a project to include the Reveal middleware

{:middleware [vlaaad.reveal.nrepl/middleware]}

Cider jack-in and reveal See the Reveal section of Practicalli Clojure for full details, including how to set up a .dir-locals.el configuration.

:inspect/reveal-nrepl-cider alias contains Reveal REPL with nrepl server and Emacs CIDER specific middleware

C-u cider-jack-in-clj in CIDER to start a reveal REPL (SPC u , ' in Spacemacs)

Edit the jack-in command by deleting the all the configuration after the clojure command and add the alias

clojure -M:inspect/reveal-nrepl-cider

:inspect/reveal-nrepl-cider is a light version of the above.

Running different types of repl

Using Clojure exec -X flag, the default repl function can be over-ridden on the command line, supplying the io-prepl or remote-prepl functions.

  • clojure -X:inspect/reveal io-prepl :title '"I am a prepl repl"
  • clojure -X:inspect/reveal remote-prepl :title '"I am a remote prepl repl"'

Configure theme & font

Add a custom theme and font via the -J command line option or create an alias using :insepct/reveal-light as an example.

clojure -M:inspect/reveal -J-Dvlaaad.reveal.prefs='{:theme :light :font-family "Ubuntu Mono" :font-size 32}'

Rebel Readline & Reveal: Add Reveal as tap> source

Evaluate (add-tap ((requiring-resolve 'vlaaad.reveal/ui))) when using Rebel Readline to add Reveal as a tap source, showing (tap> ,,,) expressions in the reveal window, eg. (tap> (map inc [1 2 3 4 5])).

Practicalli Clojure - data browsers section has more details on using reveal.

Cognitect REBL

Visualize the results of each evaluation in the REPL in the REBL UI. Navigate through complex data structures.

Cognitect REBL aliases requires several separate install steps before they are operational

Tested on Oracle JDK 8 and OpenJDK 11 (current long term support). Other Java 11 JDK distributions may work, but not tested. Newer (short term release) may work, but will need the org.openjdk library version in the :inspect/rebl alias changed to match the version of Java used.

  • inspect/rebl - REBL, a visual data explorer (Java 11)
  • inspect/rebl-java8 - REBL, a visual data explorer (Oracle Java 8)
Command Description
clojure -M:inspect/rebl Start REBL REPL and UI (Java 11 only)
clojure -M:inspect/rebl-java8 REBL REPL and UI (Oracle Java 8 only)
clojure -M:lib/cider-nrepl:inspect/rebl:middleware/nrebl REBL REPL and UI with nREPL server (CIDER, Calva) (Java 11 only)

Middleware

Aliases for libraries that combine community tools and REPL protocols (nREPL, SocketREPL).

Run a REPL on the command line for access by cider-connect- commands, providing the require cider middleware libraries that are auto-injected in ccider-jack-in- commands.

nREPL

  • :middleware/nrepl - Clojure REPL with an nREPL server
  • :middleware/cider-clj - Clojure REPL with nREPL server and CIDER dependencies for cider-connect-clj
  • :middleware/cider-clj-refactor - as :middleware/cider-clj with clj-refactor added
  • :middleware/cider-cljs - ClojureScript REPL with nREPL server and CIDER dependencies for cider-connect-cljs
Command Description
clojure -M:middleware/nrepl Run a Clojure REPL that includes nREPL server
clojure -M:middleware/cider-clj Run a Clojure REPL that includes nREPL server and CIDER connection dependencies
clojure -M:middleware/cider-clj-refactor Run a Clojure REPL that includes nREPL server and CIDER connection dependencies and clj-refactor
clojure -M:middleware/cider-cljs Run a ClojureScript REPL that includes nREPL server and CIDER connection dependencies

Figwheel-main project and cider-connect-cljs

Open a terminal and run the REPL process with the command:

clojure -M:middleware/cider-cljs:fig

An nREPL server process is started along with the figwheel-main process.

In Emacs, run the command cider-connect-cljs, select figwheel-main build tool and the dev build

Cognitect REBL with CIDER

Run the REBL REPL with nREPL server so CIDER can connect.

  • :middleware/nrebl - REBL data browser on nREPL connection
  • :lib/cider-nrepl - include nrepl, cider-nrepl and refactor-nrepl library dependencies (support :inspect/nrebl alias)

In a terminal, run REBL listening to nREPL using the command

clojure -M:lib/cider-nrepl:inspect/rebl:middleware/nrebl

cider-connect-clj in Spacemacs / Emacs and CIDER successfully connects to the nREPL port and evaluated code is sent to REBL.

To start a REBL REPL from cider-jack-in-clj add a .dir-locals.el file to the root of a Clojure project. The .dir-locals.el configuration adds the nREBL aliases set via cider-clojure-cli-global-options and all other automatically injected configuration is disabled (to prevent those dependencies over-riding the nREBL aliases).

((clojure-mode . ((cider-preferred-build-tool . clojure-cli)
                  (cider-clojure-cli-global-options . "-M:lib/cider-nrepl:inspect/rebl:middleware/nrebl")
                  (cider-jack-in-dependencies . nil)
                  (cider-jack-in-nrepl-middlewares . nil)
                  (cider-jack-in-lein-plugins . nil)
                  (cider-clojure-cli-parameters . ""))))

Clojure Specification

Clojure spec, generators and test.check

  • :lib/spec-test - generative testing with Clojure test.check
  • :lib/spec2 - experiment with the next version of Clojure spec - alpha: design may change

Unit Testing frameworks

Unit test libraries and configuration. The Clojure standard library includes the clojure.test namespace, so no alias is required.

Include expectations as a development dependency in a project clojure -M:env/test:lib/expectations, or on the command line with the cognitect test runner clojure -M:lib/expectations:test/cognitect

Test runners and Test Coverage tools

Tools to run unit tests in a project which are defined under test path.

| Command | Description | |---------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | clojure -X:test/cognitect | Cognitect Clojure test runner | | clojure -X:test/coverage | Cloverage clojure.test coverage report | | clojure -M:test/cljs | ClojureScript test runner (Olical) | | clojure -M:test/runner | Kaocha - comprehensive test runner for Clojure (same as :test/kaocha) | | clojure -M:env/test:test/kaocha | Kaocha - comprehensive test runner for Clojure | | clojure -M:env/test:test/kaocha-cljs | Kaocha - comprehensive test runner for ClojureScript | | clojure -M:env/test:test/kaocha-cucumber | Kaocha - comprehensive test runner with BDD Cucumber tests | | clojure -M:env/test:test/kaocha-junit-xml | Kaocha - comprehensive test runner with Junit XML reporting for CI dashboards & wallboards | | clojure -M:env/test:test/kaocha-cloverage | Kaocha - comprehensive test runner with test coverage reporting |

A test.edn configuration file with kaocha aliases will mean only test/kaocha and :test/kaocha-cljs aliases are needed.

Lint tools

Static analysis tools to help maintain code quality and suggest Clojure idioms.

Command Description
clojure -M:lint/kondo comprehensive and fast static analysis lint tool
clojure -M:lint/eastwood classic lint tool for Clojure
clojure -M:lint/idiom Suggest idiomatic Clojure code

Visualizing project vars and library dependencies

Create Graphviz graphs of project and library dependencies

Morpheus creates grahps of project vars and their relationships

  • :graph/vars - generate graph of vars in a project as a .dot file
  • :graph/vars-png - generate graph of vars in a project as a .png file using src and test paths
  • :graph/vars-svg - generate graph of vars in a project as a .svg file using src and test paths

Install Graphviz to generate PNG and SVG images. Or use the Edotor website to convert .dot files to PNG or SVG images and select different graph layout engines.

Vizns creates graphs of relationships between library dependencies and project namespaces

  • :graph/deps
  • :graph/deps-png - generate a single deps-graph png image

Other options:

  • clojure -M:graph/deps navigate # navigable folder of SVGs
  • clojure -M:graph/deps single # deps-graph.dot file
  • clojure -M:graph/deps single -o deps-graph.png -f png
  • clojure -M:graph/deps single -o deps-graph.svg -f svg
  • clojure -M:graph/deps single --show # View graph without saving

Performance testing

Performance testing tools for the REPL

Use the aliases with either -M or -X flags on the Clojure command line.

TODO: check these alias combinations are correct

clojure -M:performance/benchmark:repl/rebel

(require '[criterium.core :refer [bench quick-bench]])
(bench (adhoc-expression))

TODO: check these alias combinations are correct Performance test a project in the REPL

clojure -M:performance/benchmark:repl/rebel

(require '[practicalli/namespace-name]) ; require project code
(in-ns 'practicalli/namespace-name)
(quick-bench (project-function args))

Use the aliases with either -M or -X flags on the Clojure command line.

In the REPL:

  (require '[clj-memory-meter.core :as memory-meter])
   (memory-meter/measure (your-expression))

Services

Web servers and other standalone services run with Clojure CLI tools

  • :service/webserver - serve files from current directory or specified directory and port. More options at kachayev/nasus project.
Command Description
clojure -M:service/webserver HTTP file server for current directory on port 8000
clojure -M:service/webserver 8888 as above with PORT specified to 8888
clojure -M:service/webserver 8888 --dir docs as above with PORT 8888 and doc directory

Use Ctrl-c to stop the server when running in the foreground

Community activities

The Clojurians Zulip CLI provides a simple way to register community events.

  • :community/zulip-event create an event on the Clojurians Zulip community

Set an environment variable called ZULIP_AUTH to your account email, followed by the account token (in settings), e.g.

your@email.com:493u984u3249834uo4u

Create an event using the following command

clojure -M:community/zulip-event create --zulip-auth "${ZULIP_AUTH}" --title 'Practicalli Live - Exercism.io challenges' --start '2020-11-14T09:00+00:00' --duration 1 --url https://youtu.be/Z5C7X1UN8yo --description 'Walking through solutions to the Exercism.io challenges'

Take care to get the timezone notation correct.

Experimental / Alpha Aliases

  • :alpha/carve - EXPERIMENTAL, use with caution - carve out unwanted vars in code
  • :alpha/hotload-libs - EXPERIMENTAL, use with caution - hot-load libraries into a running namespace.

Hot loading dependencies (unofficial)

This is an unofficial approach using to hot loading and the API may change in future

Practically Clojure details how to hot-load libraries into a running REP using tools.deps.alpha.

The Clojure Webapp hotload libraries repository contains and example project that uses add-libs to hotload library dependencies.

Library repositories

Repositories that host libraries for Clojure.

central and clojars are the man repositories for Clojure development are consulted in order.

central and clojars repos can be removed from consideration by setting their configuration hash-map to nil in ~/.clojure/deps.edn. For example, {:mvn/repos {"central" nil}}.

The order of additional repositories consulted is not guaranteed, so may cause unpredictable side effects in the project build especially if RELEASE or LATEST tags are used rather than a numeric library version.

Maven supports explicit mirror definition in ~/.m2/settings.xml and Clojure CLI tools(tools.deps) supports this configuration. Adding Maven Central or a mirror to ~/.m2/settings.xml negates the need for its entry in deps.edn configuration.

Recommended repositories

  • central - Maven Central, the canonical repository for JVM libraries, including Clojure releases
  • clojars - clojars.org, the canonical repositories for Clojure community libraries fronted by a contend delivery network service, https://repo.clojars.org/

Optional repositories

  • sonatype - snapshots of Clojure development releases, useful for testing against before new stable releases.
  • jcenter - the largest mirror of all open source libraries (useful as a backup or accessing through corporate firewalls)
  • business-area - example of adding a local Artifactory server for your team or business area.
  • google-maven-central - Maven Central mirror hosted on Google Cloud Storage - Americas, Asia, Europe

Americas mirrors

 :mvn/repos
 {"google-maven-central" {:url "https://maven-central.storage-download.googleapis.com/maven2/"}}

Europe mirrors Use only one mirror entry for a specific repository, to ensure a repeatable build.

 :mvn/repos
 {"google-maven-central" {:url "https://maven-central-eu.storage-download.googleapis.com/maven2/"}

 ;; UK specific mirror
 "uk"      {:url "http://uk.maven.org/maven2/"}

  ;; CDN access to clojars
  "clojars" {:url "https://repo.clojars.org/"}}

Asian Region Mirrors

 :mvn/repos
 {"google-maven-central" {:url "https://maven-central-asia.storage-download.googleapis.com/maven2/"}

  ;; Community mirror
  "clojars-china-mirror" {:url "https://mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/clojars/"}

  ;; CDN access to clojars
  "clojars" {:url "https://repo.clojars.org/"}}

Maven local repository

 :mvn/local-repo "m2"

NOTE: using clj -Sforce forces a classpath recompute, deleting the contents of .cpcache