HCL DX React Script App Example

Overview

This example app shows how React can be used in Script App portlets.

You can also run React inside a WCM component using Babel (see here) or pre-transpiled code. Using @babel/standalone is not recommended for production deployments (see: https://babeljs.io/docs/en/babel-standalone).

For more information on how to build and deploy DX Script Apps, see the following links:

• Script Application Section in the official HCL DX documentation
• HCL Webinar for the Script Application

This sample uses dxclient to push the script application. For more information see the dxclient documentation here and here. For older CFs that do not include dxclient, see older versions Readme files of this project.

Webpack is used to package the React components and create a build folder. The example uses dxclient to deploy to the HCL DX 9.5 server (CF19 and later). (See older versions of this project to use Web Developer Toolkit if using versions prior to CF19)

The project structure is as follows:

• build
  • Output folder. Symlinked to the Web Deveopler Dashboard script folder location.
• src
  • assets
    • Images etc.
  • css
    • CSS Files
  • components
    • React Components
  • sp-config.json < HCL DX Web Developer Dashboard configuration
  • vendor.js < Load 3rd party libraries here

Run npm start to start a local Webpack dev server. Alternatively you can use the run option in the HCL DX Web Developer Dashboard.

Run npm run build to build to the build folder.

The example uses the HCL DX 9.5 docker container but any DX instance can be used.

Caution

Before version 201 there were some issues that have since been addressed as well as needing to add React and React Dom to your theme manually.

If you would like to add your own React files or need instructions for environments before CF 201 please review this document: PRE-CF201.md

Setup

1. If you want to install a local DX docker container to run against, see the instructions here.

2. Install dxclient.

3. Install Node.js. See the version requirements for the DX Developer Dashboard.

4. Clone this project somewhere on your drive

5. Run npm install at the root of the project to install Babel and its dependencies. You may need to run npm install --legacy-peer-deps and npx -p npm@6 npm audit fix to install the dependencies.

6. Adjust the dx variables in .dxclient.env to your environment (Review the dxContentRoot especially. An example is included for both Windows and Linux/Mac):

dxProtocol=http
dxHostName=localhost
dxPort=10039
dxUserName=wpsadmin
dxPassword=wpsadmin
dxContentHandlerPath=/wps/mycontenthandler
dxVirtualPortalContext=
dxProjectContext=
dxMainHtmlFile=index.html
dxSiteArea=Script Application Library/Script Applications/
dxContentName=sampleReactApplication
dxContentTitle=Sample React Script Application
# dxContentRoot=/Users/me/git/sample-react-script-application/build
dxContentRoot=C:\\dx\\sample-react-script-application\\build
verbose=false

7. Ensure the following scripts are defined in your package.json:

  "scripts": {
    "start": "webpack-dev-server --config  webpack.dev.js --open",
    "check-env": "node -e 'console.log(process.env)' | grep npm",
    "build": "webpack --config  webpack.prod.js",
    "dx:deploy": "node dxclient.mjs "
  },

9. Run:

   • npm run start to run the project in a local lightweight http server
   • npm run build to build to the build folder
   • npm run dx:deploy to build and deploy the project to your dx server

10. Log into your HCL DX server and create a new page. Choose the Deferred with React theme profile that includes React (depending on you CF level this may change or you may provide your own module) in the advanced page settings. You should see the react-meme application listed under Script Applications. Add it to the page and exit edit mode.

11. Edit the code, click watch in the Web Developer Dashboard and run npm run dxdeploy. Your changes will be autmatiocally built and uploaded to the server.

Notes:

You can edit the scrip application on the portal server, but since we are a packager/minifier, you may want to change the webpack.prod.js file before debugging inside DX. Change:

mode: "production",

to

mode: "development",
devtool: "none",

and remove the optimization: section.

Attribution

The portlet app code is based on the freeCodeCap.org React course on youTube. Check it out if you are new to React since it gives a great introduction to core React concepts.