Setting argv in the package.json and running a different script

Question

I have two versions of my application, for one I set --extended, and for the other not, like this

"scripts": {
    "build": "webpack --mode production",
    "extended": "webpack --mode production --extended",
    // ...
 }

Now, in my webpack, I access the extended like this

module.exports = (_env,argv)=> {
   argv.extended
}

I am trying to improve this in a cross platform way to do something like

"scripts": {
    "build": "webpack --mode production",
    "extended": "--extended npm run build"       
  }

as to run the build script from extended but still access the --extended variable.

I there a way to achieve this? Thank you

I read this whole question How to set environment variables from within package.json but can't find a way

Answer 1

Change the scripts section of your package.json to the following:

"scripts": {
  "build": "webpack --mode production",
  "extended": "npm run build -- --extended"
}

Explanation:

As stated in the npm-run-script documentation which can be found here:

... The special option -- is used by getopt to delimit the end of the options. npm will pass all the arguments after the -- directly to your script:

So, essentially when you run the following command via your CLI:

$ npm run extended

npm invokes the extended script, which then runs the build script and passes the --extended argument to the end of it (i.e. it passes --extended to the end of the build script).

---

Is there another way?

Yes, you could also consider simplifying the scripts section of your package.json further by deleting your extended script completely.

For instance:

"scripts": {
  "build": "webpack --mode production"
}

Then you can do either of the following:

1. Run the following command via your CLI:

   $ npm run build
   

   This will to invoke your build script without the --extended argument/option.

2. Or run the following command via your CLI instead:

   $ npm run build -- --extended
   

   This will invoke your build script with the --extended argument/option.