Use `cookiecutter` for bootstrapping

[bonjourmauko]

When I'm creating a new extension for my country model, I want it to be easy as tools that I already know like cookiecutter, si I can spend more time adding value to users.

[MattiSG]

I'm not sure what that would entail exactly: does this mean this repository would have to become a cookiecutter-based template, replacing its bootstrap.sh file with a cookiecutter declaration, and requiring users to install and execute cookiecutter?

[bonjourmauko]

Hello @MattiSG !

does this mean this repository would have to become a cookiecutter-based template, replacing its bootstrap.sh file with a cookiecutter declaration, and requiring users to install and execute cookiecutter?

Yes!

Bootstrapping a country/city would then be something like:

$ pip install cookiecutter
$ cookiecutter https://github.com/openfisca/country-template
organisation: segpres
country: chile

And then it would be iso functional —thanks to pre/post-hooks.

Pros

• Cross-platform, thus easier to maintain, ex: #47, #82
• Easily testable
• Template remains also testable

Cons

• It's a DSL —learning curve

[MattiSG]

Another con: third-party dependency.

This sounds like an interesting venue to solve #82, but also like a big investment. I would not personally invest in it for the moment considering the production experience there is with the current system, and the limited practical existing problems this seems to solve.

[bonjourmauko]

I was going to invest personally on this until some other issues took priority.

I still believe it is worth doing, maybe there are other options closer to what we do now that are easier to implement.

[verbman]

Did not see this thread, but thanks for pointing it out @MattiSG. Pull Request #139 does not change this conversation and possibly better prepares the way for it. I note the offline conversation also about utilising github workflows? to achieve the same objectives (but for github only).

[MattiSG]

Indeed, the reference for using GitHub Actions is https://github.com/OpenTermsArchive/demo-declarations/pull/12.

[bonjourmauko]

Thanks both @MattiSG and @verbman. I'm closing this issue as, even if the problem is still there, it is bound to a how from which I have distanced myself. I a need for a solution arises in the future, I'd rather open a new ticket.