Template development workflow

This page describes the general workflow for developing and maintaining templates in a template repository.

Note

Though this page uses the LSST template repository at lsst/templates as a specific example, these steps apply to any Templatekit-compliant repository. Substitute in your repository’s URL and GitHub workflow as necessary.

Step 1: Clone the repository and install templatekit

From a shell, clone the template repository:

git clone https://github.com/lsst/templates
cd templates

Install the version of Templatekit that’s used by the repository:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Tip

Install Templatekit and other dependencies in a virtual environment, such as venv.

Step 2: Make your changes

Before making any changes, it’s a good idea to create a new Git branch or work from a GitHub fork. Refer to the guidelines of your template repository or organization for a concrete workflow.

Refer to the Template development guide for guides on how to add and modify templates in a Templatekit-compliant repository.

Step 3: Regenerate examples

In a shell, run the scons command to regenerate the examples:

scons

Ensure that scons ran properly. If it didn’t, there is likely an issue with either the templates or the SConstruct files.

Next, check for any modified files:

git status

Review the changes for correctness. If the generated examples don’t look right, you’ll need to adjust the templates and rerun scons.

Once the changes are correct, commit the changes with Git.

Step 4: Check the repository

In a shell, run Templatekit’s repository validation command:

templatekit check

The templatekit check command ensures that the structure of the template repository is correct and that the examples are consistent with the templates.

Step 5: Create a Pull Request

Your changes are ready to publish. Follow the guidelines published by your template repository or organization.