use codemod.com platform

[AugustinMauroy]

I had proposed to @bjohansebas to use codemod platform and cli.

Advantage

• Performant
• Secure
• Super easy to use (because it's use ast-grep)
• JS api for complex codemod
• Yaml rule for simple change
• Builtin test tool

Side thing

• codemod studio which is super useful to scaffold a codemod

Resssources

• https://ast-grep.github.io
• https://docs.codemod.com/introduction
• https://github.com/nodejs/userland-migrations

[AugustinMauroy]

cc @alexbit-codemod & mohebifar

[alexbit-codemod]

Thanks Augustin. Would be a pleasure for us to support the great Express community. Codemod CLI has been adopted by: Node.js, React, React Router, Nuxt.js, Webpack, npm, MSW, and more. If anyone wants to learn more or build some codemods with me, feel free to book me here: cal.com/alexbit

[bjohansebas]

I also like the idea of focusing solely on creating codemods and not on maintaining our CLI. Plus, as @alexbit-codemod already mentioned, it’s used by several important open-source projects.

I was briefly talking with @kjugi, and he also thought the idea of no longer having our own package was good.

For this, I need approval from @expressjs/express-tc since it’s a different platform. As the captain of this package, I’m +1 on using and migrating to it. Also, since @kjugi is also the captain of this package, their approval is needed as well. Could you please share your opinion explicitly here before we move forward with anything?

Even though we don’t need new codemods right now, in the very near future we might need them, for example to migrate expressjs/express#3714

[jonchurch]

Im +1 to having repo captains make this decision.

[jonchurch]

@bjohansebas Do we require having an express login to the codemod platform?

I don't understand really if there's anything the codemod repo folks (yall) need from TC beyond a green light.

removing from TC agenda, if you still do need something from us plz just add the label back to it <3

[alexbit-codemod]

Short answer: Yes. You can follow the instructions here (you can bypass the first step because you already have this repo which can be repurposed to include future codemods compatible with Codemod CLI).

Longer answer: to publish official Express codemods under the expressjs scope in the Codemod Registry (see official nodejs codemods here), you need to reserve that scope on the Codemod side. How? By installing the Codemod app on the express-codemod repo, which automatically creates and reserve that scope for express maintainers.

You’ll need privileges to install Codemod GitHub app on expressjs/codemod repo. If you don’t, you can request access from express org admin during setup.

This way, when a maintainer of the expressjs/codemod repo wants to publish a codemod, they’ll see the option to publish under that org. They can also go to the Codemod app and create an API token to automate the process as described in the doc above (highly recommended to reduce the maintenance burden. See Node.js userland-migration GitHub action for inspiration, or even better, use our latest version of GitHub action workflow here).

If the self-serve doc doesn’t help, feel free to book me here and we’ll do it quickly together on a call.

We’re an OpenJS Foundation partner, and it would be a pleasure to contribute and help the Express community.