Using the package generator

The ckeditor5-package-generator is a tool for developers. It creates a working package with the development environment that allows writing new custom plugins for CKEditor 5.

To create a new package without installing the tool, simply execute the following command:

npx ckeditor5-package-generator <packageName> [--use-npm] [--use-yarn] [--installation-methods <current|current-and-legacy>] [--plugin-name <...>] [--lang <js|ts>] [--global-name <...>] [--verbose]

The <packageName> argument is required and must obey these rules:

• The provided name must match the schema: @scope/ckeditor5-*, where @scope is the owner of the package.
• The package name must start with the ckeditor5- prefix.
• Allowed characters are numbers (0-9), lowercase letters (a-z) and symbols: - . _.

As a result of executing the command, a new directory with a package in it will be created. The directory’s name will be equal to the specified package name without the @scope part, and it will contain an example plugin and the development environment.

Available modifiers for the command are:

• --use-npm – use npm to install dependencies in the newly created package.
• --use-yarn – use yarn to install dependencies in the newly created package.
• --global-name – define a global name of the package to be used in the UMD build.
• --plugin-name – define the plugin name to be different from the package name.
• --lang – (values: js | ts) choose whether the created package should use JavaScript or TypeScript. If omitted, the script will ask the user to choose manually.
• --verbose – (alias: -v) print additional logs about the current executed task.
• --installation-methods – (values: current | current-and-legacy) choose which installation methods of CKEditor 5 do you want to support? If omitted, the script will ask the user to choose manually.

Currently, a package can be generated in one of two modes of supported installation methods for CKEditor 5 :

• The package will only support the current installation methods if the value for the --installation-methods flag is set to current. This approach makes it easier to create CKEditor 5 plugin at the cost of not supporting the old installation methods.
• The package generator creates bundles for both the current installation methods and legacy installation methods if the value for the --installation-methods flag is set to current-and-legacy.

After successfully creating a directory with the new package, enter it by executing the following command:

# Assuming that your package was created with `ckeditor5-foo` as its name.
cd ckeditor5-foo

Then, run the test environment for the plugin by executing the following command:

npm run start

Now the plugin can be seen within the example editor.

You can check out what is available inside your package depending on the language you used:

• JavaScript
• TypeScript

If you have used the ckeditor5-package-generator (version 1.1.0 or lower) to generate and develop your own plugins for CKEditor 5 and now you want to migrate to the newest installations methods used by CKEditor 5 please visit the Migrating CKEditor 5 to new installation methods guide. You will find an instruction there that will guide you step by step through all things that need to be changed.