Feature request: JS API for web-ext

JS API would make it possible to use web-ext in build scripts (like gulpfile.js) without calls to system shell.

[futpib]

I’d say providing a separate JS API is a better option, so that you don’t “freeze” CLI implementation by telling users they can expect that it will be stable.

[kumar303]

Well, actually, this should be enough. You can do a build like this:

> const main = require('web-ext/dist/web-ext').main;
> main(['build'], {runOptions: {shouldExitProgram: false}})
      .catch(error => console.error('CAUGHT', error));
Usage:  [options] command

Option values can also be set by declaring an environment variable prefixed
with $WEB_EXT_. For example: $WEB_EXT_SOURCE_DIR=/path is the same as
--source-dir=/path.

To view specific help for any given command, add the command name.
Example:  --help run.


Commands:
  build  Create a web extension package from source
  sign   Sign the web extension so it can be installed in Firefox
  run    Run the web extension
  lint   Validate the web extension source

Options:
  --version            Show version number                             [boolean]
  --source-dir, -s     Web extension source directory.
              [string] [required] [default: "/Users/kumar/tmp/web-ext-api-test"]
  --artifacts-dir, -a  Directory where artifacts will be saved.
                                                   [string] [required] [default:
                          "/Users/kumar/tmp/web-ext-api-test/web-ext-artifacts"]
  --verbose, -v        Show verbose output                  [boolean] [required]
  -h, --help           Show help                                       [boolean]

Not enough non-option arguments: got 0, need at least 1
Promise {
  _c: [],
  _a: undefined,
  _s: 0,
  _d: false,
  _v: undefined,
  _h: 0,
  _n: false }
> CAUGHT Error: Not enough non-option arguments: got 0, need at least 1
    at Object.self.fail (/Users/kumar/tmp/web-ext-api-test/node_modules/yargs/lib/usage.js:53:20)
    at Object.self.nonOptionCount (/Users/kumar/tmp/web-ext-api-test/node_modules/yargs/lib/validation.js:21:15)
    at parseArgs (/Users/kumar/tmp/web-ext-api-test/node_modules/yargs/yargs.js:945:20)
    at Object.Yargs.Object.defineProperty.get [as argv] (/Users/kumar/tmp/web-ext-api-test/node_modules/yargs/yargs.js:812:16)
    at Program._callee$ (/Users/kumar/tmp/web-ext-api-test/node_modules/web-ext/dist/webpack:/src/program.js:9:7845)
    at tryCatch (/Users/kumar/tmp/web-ext-api-test/node_modules/regenerator-runtime/runtime.js:62:40)
    at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.invoke [as _invoke] (/Users/kumar/tmp/web-ext-api-test/node_modules/regenerator-runtime/runtime.js:336:22)
    at GeneratorFunctionPrototype.prototype.(anonymous function) [as next] (/Users/kumar/tmp/web-ext-api-test/node_modules/regenerator-runtime/runtime.js:95:21)
    at step (/Users/kumar/tmp/web-ext-api-test/node_modules/web-ext/dist/webpack:/~/babel-runtime/helpers/asyncToGenerator.js:17:1)
    at /Users/kumar/tmp/web-ext-api-test/node_modules/web-ext/dist/webpack:/~/babel-runtime/helpers/asyncToGenerator.js:35:1

>