Package format of plugins

[jackjia-ibm]

Currently Zowe plugins don't have a consistent package format, we will need some guidance for the contributors what the package should look like. The format may also be related of the package management system we will choose.

The existing package management system Maven and NPM are not ideal for generic format. Zowe plugins may be in both Java or Node.js language, or in the future Python. We need a consistent format support all of them.

Ideally this format should:

• be language neutral,
• have a meta file defines what the plugin itself,
• define the purpose of plugin,
• define pre-reqs of the plugin (zowe components, extra systems, other plugins, etc),
• define the install, upgrade, uninstall, launch (dynamic or require Zowe to be restarted, etc), verify suggestions or scripts.

Conda could be potential package management system we can use.

[1000TurquoisePogs]

Currently the only codebase that doesn't have a problem with packing is the CLI because thus far it's embraced nodejs and so npm is the logical solution. However, has/will Zeepy's inclusion changed that? Will we see users of a python client sdk looking to a python-based repo for python-based plugins? Sorry if I'm misunderstanding the purpose, maybe they don't overlap at this level. But if they did, then I think the question applies there too.

[armstro]

Review of this item at ZLC today - thought was to leave as ZLC issue until we determine a "better home" for it. Indicates need for an "official Architect squad" to have a backlog of issues to work.

[MarkAckert]

Issue moved to zowe/zowe-install-packaging #1249 via ZenHub