web-ext new: create the directory layout for an extension

We should add a web-ext new command that automatically generate a manifest.json file and other common files to help the developer get started on a new WebExtension.

You could take a look at how ember new works for ideas.

The jpm init command is also similar but I like the general behavior of ember new better.

[rpl]

@Fedcomp since when this issue was filed a few things are being done:

• both npm and yarn introduced a command to bootstrap a package, and long time ago I created a simple create-webextension npm package to leverage that (nothing fancy just a minimal boilerplate like the one you are describing in https://github.com/mozilla/web-ext/issues/540#issuecomment-868336697), and so you can already do run one of the following commands to bootstrap a minimal webextension:

  • npm init webextension my-test-extension
  • or yarn create webextension my-test-extension
  • or npx create-webextension mu-test-extension

• we have also listed in our docs an extension scaffolding tool that provides some more options:

  • https://extensionworkshop.com/documentation/develop/browser-extension-development-tools/

[Fedcomp]

Reading this, i feel like you over-over-overcomplicate this. I am Rust user, and cargo new is very simple command. When i run web-ext new/init i expect same, VERY basic layout. No need for depedencies, no need for complicated logic. Just manifest, 1 empty content-script, 1 background script. Instead this issue went overengineering, and now it’s not resolved since 2016 (4 years!!!).

I suggest to implement web-ext new/init with very basic functionality for very basic template (and the only one, not extendedable or configurable) for new extension. If someone REALLY needs something more advanced, they would start new issue, after basic web-ext new/init is released.