How to use the command 'nx' (with examples)
The nx command is used to manage nx workspaces. It provides various functions to build, test, and execute targets on projects within the workspace. This article will illustrate each of these use cases with examples.
Use case 1: Build a specific project
Code:
nx build project
Motivation: Building a specific project allows you to compile the code and generate the necessary artifacts for that project. This is useful when you want to deploy or distribute the project separately.
Explanation:
nx: the command itself.build: the command to build a project.project: the name of the project to build.
Example output:
✔ Project successfully built.
Use case 2: Test a specific project
Code:
nx test project
Motivation: Testing a specific project allows you to run the tests for that project individually. This is helpful for developers who want to validate the functionality of their code without running the tests for the entire workspace.
Explanation:
nx: the command itself.test: the command to run tests.project: the name of the project to test.
Example output:
✔ Project tests passed.
Use case 3: Execute a target on a specific project
Code:
nx run project:target
Motivation: Executing a target on a specific project enables you to run a specific task or script defined in the project’s configuration. This is beneficial when you want to perform custom actions specific to a project.
Explanation:
nx: the command itself.run: the command to execute a target.project: the name of the project.target: the name of the target to execute.
Example output:
✔ Target execution completed successfully.
Use case 4: Execute a target on multiple projects
Code:
nx run-many --target target --projects project1,project2
Motivation: Executing a target on multiple projects allows you to run a common task or script on multiple projects simultaneously. This is useful when you want to apply a certain action to a group of projects within the workspace.
Explanation:
nx: the command itself.run-many: the command to execute a target on multiple projects.--target: the name of the target to execute.target: the name of the target to execute.--projects: the list of projects on which to execute the target.project1,project2: the names of the projects on which to execute the target (comma-separated).
Example output:
✔ Target execution completed successfully on project1 and project2.
Use case 5: Execute a target on all projects in the workspace
Code:
nx run-many --target target --all
Motivation: Executing a target on all projects in the workspace allows you to perform a specific action on every project. This is beneficial when you have a common task that needs to be executed on all projects.
Explanation:
nx: the command itself.run-many: the command to execute a target on multiple projects.--target: the name of the target to execute.target: the name of the target to execute.--all: flag indicating to execute the target on all projects in the workspace.
Example output:
✔ Target execution completed successfully on all projects in the workspace.
Use case 6: Execute a target only on projects that have been changed
Code:
nx affected --target target
Motivation: Executing a target only on projects that have been changed allows you to perform actions on projects that have been modified since a specific commit or branch. This is useful when you want to run certain tasks on the affected projects only.
Explanation:
nx: the command itself.affected: the command to execute a target on affected projects.--target: the name of the target to execute.target: the name of the target to execute.
Example output:
✔ Target execution completed successfully on affected projects.
Conclusion:
In this article, we explored various use cases of the nx command. We learned how to build, test, and execute targets on specific projects, multiple projects, all projects, and affected projects within an nx workspace. Understanding these use cases will help you effectively manage your nx workspaces and perform the necessary actions on your projects.
