connect-preprocessor

A preprocessor middleware for Connect that dynamically compiles files for development.

Usage

preprocessor(compiler, options, compilerOpts)

compiler

A string name of a built-in compiler or a module that has the necessary exports as defined below. Required.

options

A hash of options:

• src - The directory base from which the preprocessor will find and compile source files. Defaults to ./.

• opts - Specifies additional options to pass on to the compiler. Can be defined in the options hash or passed as the third argument to the preprocessor. Defaults to {}.

• pattern - The regex pattern used to determine whether the compiler should handle the request. Defaults to /\<options.compExt>$/.

• ext - The extension of the source files. Defaults to the ext export of the compiler.

• compExt - The extension of the compiled files. Defaults to the compExt export of the compiler.

• mime - The mime type to send in the content-type header of the response. Will automatically be set for any built-in compilers.

• index - Specifies the default file to use as the directory index. Set to false to disable the feature entirely. Defaults to index.html.

compilerOpts

Any additional options to pass on to the compiler.

Example

var app = require('connect')();
var preprocessor = require('connect-preprocessor');

app.use(preprocessor('jade', { src: 'pages' }));
app.use('/templates', preprocessor('jade', { src: 'templates' }, { client: true }));
app.use('/scripts', preprocessor('coffee', { src: 'scripts' }));

app.listen(3000);

Compilers

• Jade - Specified as jade.

• CoffeeScript - Specified as coffee.

• Less - Specified as less.

Compiler exports

If the compiler you need does not exist, feel free to make a pull request. Alternatively, you can require a module in the first argument of the preprocessor:

var compiler = require('my-compiler');
app.use(preprocessor(compiler));

This module must export these methods:

• compile (text, compilerOpts, callback) - A function that compiles the string of text. Any errors should be passed to the first argument of the callback; a successfully compiled string should be sent as the second argument to the callback: callback(err, compiled).

• ext (compilerOpts) - A string (or function that returns a string) specifying the extension of the source files.

• compExt (compilerOpts) - A string (or function that returns a string) specifying the extension of the compiled files.

An example can be seen here.