Use npm's semver rules for plugin's nativescript key

Problem with plugins verification with runtimes

Currently each NativeScript plugin must have nativescript key in it’s package.json and define the minimum required version of each supported runtime. The structure is :

"name": "my-plugin",
"version": "1.0.0",
"nativescript": { 
    "platforms": {
        "ios": "1.5.0",
        "android": "1.5.0",
    }
}

When tns plugin add my-plugin is executed, CLI checks the values against current runtimes versions and informs the user if a plugin cannot be used with current version. However CLI uses the specified version in the plugin as minimum required. So for example in case the project uses tns-android 1.6.0, 1.6.2 or even 2.0.0 for example, it can use my-plugin. This makes it really hard to control the versions against which the plugin is tested and verified by the plugin author.

Suggested solution

Do not reinvent the wheel! Use semver rules for the nativescript key in package.json, for example:

"name": "my-plugin",
"version": "1.0.0",
"nativescript": { 
    "platforms": {
        "ios": "^1.5.0",
        "android": "~1.5.0",
    }
}

This way in case the project targets android 1.5.2, the plugin can be installed, but in case it targets 1.6.0, the plugin will not be available. More information for the version ranges: https://docs.npmjs.com/getting-started/semantic-versioning#semver-for-consumers

Breaking change

In case we implement this idea, all plugins, which currently has nativescript key inside their package.json, will not work, as the values: “1.5.0” will mean - can work with this version only.

[EddyVerbruggen]

Just trying to understand the implications:

If I change the version in my plugins today to say ~1.5.0 would that mean users of the current tns CLI won’t be able to use the plugin? I’m not sure minimum version ~1.5.0 currently matches anything.

If that breaks usage with the current CLI, then plugins can only be upgraded after the new CLI algorithm has been implemented and released, and when it is NO ONE (using plugins) will be able to use those plugins. Until the plugin versions have been updated to no longer exactly match a specific version.

[rosen-vladimirov]

I think much better approach is to have runtimes as dependencies/devDependencies in the application instead of reinventing the wheel with additional keys and rules for package.json: https://github.com/NativeScript/nativescript-cli/issues/4511