Artifact-less GIT repository

[duozersk]

TODO:

• describe how it works with composer set to prefer sources
• how it affects CI/QA processes

As this repository has both the source code of Vue application and compiled artifacts - there are conflicts when several PRs change the source of artifacts and rebuild them. And Virtual Y (openy_gated_content) has the same issue.
We have an idea of removing the build artifacts from the main GIT branches used for development (and adding artifacts to .gitignore).

But then it will require the release system changes as we want to have the compiled artifacts in the "dist" type of packages used by Composer. So that when you "composer require" stable version - it comes with compiled artifacts. And when you require smth like 4.x-dev - then be ready to compile the application yourself.

Then to make the release there will be several more required actions (example based on the 4.x branch; might be not exact):

• checkout the 4.x branch
• create temporary release branch
• npm install && npm run build
• force git add the compiled artifacts + commit
• create new release tag
• push the tag to GitHub
• remove the temporary release branch

All/some of these things can even be automated using bash scripts (we can add them to the repo); or parametrized Jenkins job (but how to tell the Jenkins job what artifacts to commit?).

And this repository looks like a perfect candidate to try it out (simpler than Virtual Y and no active development - less things to brake). We can try it here, see how it goes and then apply it to Virtual Y and other similar applications.

Another thing - if you want to make a PR - then you need to include changes for both sources and compiled artifacts. And then you want to use this PR as a patch via composer. And then another PR - and these 2 will not apply cleanly together now. And you end up supporting 2 versions of patches... and it doesn't motivate you to contribute your patches :)

[podarok]

@duozersk when somebody pulls sources, not dist?

[shelleygoetz]

@sarah-halby added to Jira https://openy.atlassian.net/browse/MAINTAIN-196

[hamrant]

when somebody pulls sources, not dist?

I think for this case we can add an instruction with different installation steps, for source pull - additional steps on how to build the application.

[podarok]

@hamrant #109 please, review, merge