generate frontend wiring

Purpose

Analyze an existing Backstage frontend plugin and generate the RHDH dynamic plugin wiring configuration. This skill inspects the plugin’s source files to determine exports and generates the corresponding app-config.yaml configuration.

When to Use

Use this skill when:

• User has an existing Backstage frontend plugin
• User wants to deploy it to RHDH as a dynamic plugin
• User needs the wiring configuration for dynamic-plugins.yaml

Prerequisites

The plugin directory must contain:

• package.json with plugin metadata
• src/plugin.ts or src/plugin.tsx with plugin definition
• src/index.ts exporting plugin components

Workflow

Step 1: Locate Plugin Files

Find and read the essential plugin files:

1. package.json – Get package name
2. src/plugin.ts – Find exported extensions (pages, cards)
3. src/index.ts – Find public exports (APIs, components)
4. dist-dynamic/dist-scalprum/plugin-manifest.json – Get scalprum name if built

Step 2: Determine Scalprum Name

The scalprum name is used to reference the plugin in RHDH configuration:

1. If plugin-manifest.json exists: Use the name field
2. If scalprum in package.json: Use scalprum.name
3. Otherwise derive from package name:
   • @my-org/backstage-plugin-foo becomes my-org.backstage-plugin-foo
   • @internal/backstage-plugin-foo becomes internal.backstage-plugin-foo

Step 3: Identify Exports

Analyze the plugin source to find:

Routable Extensions (pages):

• Look for createRoutableExtension in plugin.ts
• These become dynamicRoutes entries
• Extract the export name (e.g., MyPluginPage)

Entity Cards/Content:

• Look for createComponentExtension in plugin.ts
• These become mountPoints entries
• Identify if they use useEntity (entity-scoped)

API Factories:

• Look for createApiFactory and createApiRef in plugin.ts or api.ts
• These become apiFactories entries
• Extract the apiRef export name

Icons:

• Look for icon exports (React components returning SVG/Icon)
• These become appIcons entries

Step 4: Generate Configuration

Output the complete wiring configuration in YAML format:

# RHDH Dynamic Plugin Configuration
# Add to your dynamic-plugins.yaml or app-config.yaml

dynamicPlugins:
  frontend:
    <scalprum-name>:
      dynamicRoutes:
        - path: /<plugin-id>
          importName: <PageComponentName>
          menuItem:
            icon: <icon-name>
            text: <Plugin Display Name>

      mountPoints:
        - mountPoint: entity.page.overview/cards
          importName: <CardComponentName>
          config:
            if:
              allOf:
                - isKind: component

      apiFactories:
        - importName: <apiRefName>

      appIcons:
        - name: <iconName>
          importName: <IconComponentName>

Step 5: Present to User

Show the generated configuration with:

1. The YAML configuration block
2. A table explaining each entry and its source
3. Notes about any optional configurations
4. Ask if it should be saved to a file

Example Output

For a plugin with:

• Package: @internal/backstage-plugin-demoplugin
• Page: DemopluginPage
• API: todoApiRef

Generate:

dynamicPlugins:
  frontend:
    internal.backstage-plugin-demoplugin:
      dynamicRoutes:
        - path: /demoplugin
          importName: DemopluginPage
          menuItem:
            icon: extension
            text: Demo Plugin
      apiFactories:
        - importName: todoApiRef

Configuration Options Reference

Dynamic Routes

dynamicRoutes:
  - path: /my-plugin           # URL path
    importName: MyPage         # Exported component name
    module: PluginRoot         # Optional: scalprum module (default: PluginRoot)
    menuItem:
      icon: dashboard          # System icon or custom appIcon
      text: My Plugin          # Sidebar menu text

Mount Points

mountPoints:
  - mountPoint: entity.page.overview/cards
    importName: MyCard
    config:
      layout:
        gridColumn: '1 / -1'   # Full width
      if:
        allOf:
          - isKind: component
          - hasAnnotation: my-plugin/enabled

API Factories

apiFactories:
  - importName: myApiFactory   # Or myApiRef if plugin exports it

App Icons

appIcons:
  - name: myIcon
    importName: MyIconComponent

Common Patterns

Page Plugin

Plugin that adds a standalone page:

dynamicRoutes:
  - path: /my-plugin
    importName: MyPluginPage
    menuItem:
      icon: extension
      text: My Plugin

Entity Card Plugin

Plugin that adds a card to entity pages:

mountPoints:
  - mountPoint: entity.page.overview/cards
    importName: MyEntityCard
    config:
      if:
        allOf:
          - isKind: component

Page + Card Plugin

Plugin with both page and entity integration:

dynamicRoutes:
  - path: /my-plugin
    importName: MyPluginPage
    menuItem:
      icon: myIcon
      text: My Plugin

mountPoints:
  - mountPoint: entity.page.overview/cards
    importName: MyEntityCard

appIcons:
  - name: myIcon
    importName: MyIcon

Notes

• The generated configuration is a starting point; adjust as needed
• Use references/frontend-wiring.md for complete configuration options
• Entity cards may need condition tuning based on target entity kinds
• Custom icons must be exported from the plugin’s index.ts

Reference Files

• references/frontend-wiring.md – Complete mount points, routes, bindings
• references/entity-page.md – Entity page customization