Script Packs are a really cool extensibility point we added into scriptcs. A pack delivers a bundle of functionality that makes frameworks more palatable to consume from script. They are available as nuget packages making them very easy to consume.
For example, if you look at our Web API sample, you’ll see there’s a bunch of friction if you just try to get Web Api working from scratch.
- You need to add using statements for each namespace you want to use. This is a lot more painful than one might think when you don’t have intellisense.
- You need to configure web API, this involves creating a host, defining default routes etc. Adding lots of object creation and such starts to make the script pretty hairy. Not impossible, but painful when there’s no template.
- You need to teach Web Api how to resolve controllers in script by implementing a custom controller resolver.
Now pull in the Web Api script pack (scriptcs –install scriptcs.webapi) using the Require<WebApi>() function and your boiler plate code evaporates to this:
The script pack does all of the following to make the experience better:
- Removes the need for using statements for common namespaces. The script pack provides those which is why you don’t have to add the web api namespaces in your example above.
- Adds dll and nuget package references that bring the dependencies the framework needs.
- Removes general boilerplate code. In the previous sample you need to create a host, define routes etc as I mentioned. In this case the script pack creates the host for you and configure with the default routes. You can customize if you need to.
- Provide APIs to fill gaps that prevent the framework from working well in script / supporting dynamically emitted assemblies. The Web Api script pack brings in and configures a custom controller resolver for you.
We’re just getting started with the work we’ve done with script packs, but they are a really nice extensibility point and really take advantage of nuget as a delivery mechanism. The community has been rising to the occasion and building out quite the gallery as well.
There’s some great posts about script packs covering topics like how to build them or even use them from the REPL that you should really check out.
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Have fun exploring the new world of scripting in C# with scriptcs!