Add WordPress support via `wp-now` to `wp-scripts`

[luisherranz]

What problem does this address?

Right now people need to combine wp-scripts start with an external solution that runs WordPress, like Local, wp-env, VVV, wp-now…

What is your proposed solution?

Add a new --wp option to wp-script start to start, not only Webpack, but also WordPress via wp-now.

That way just installing @wordpress/scripts and running wp-script start --wp is enough to start developing.

[HikeMike]

Could you not use an npm script?

scripts: {
"start": "wp-script start && wp-now start" 
}

[luisherranz]

Because none of the processes end until you manually kill them, so neither wp-script start && wp-now start nor wp-now start && wp-script start work.

[swissspidy]

Why wp-now and not just wp-env? What's the use case? wp-now works for simple things but at some point you still have to use something more powerful right now.

Because none of the processes end until you manually kill them, so neither wp-script start && wp-now start nor wp-now start && wp-script start work.

You could put wp-now start in a prestart script or use something like npm-run-all to run the two commands in parallel.

[luisherranz]

Why wp-now and not just wp-env?

Because wp-now is self-contained, whereas wp-env requires to have Docker installed and running.

You could put wp-now start in a prestart script or use something like npm-run-all to run the two commands in parallel.

Certainly. However, I believe that having a single tool and a single command to initiate the development environment will drastically simplify the experience of beginners who are just stepping into WordPress.

This proposed change would be opt-in (activated with --wp), so it won't interfere with those already using wp-env or any other tools.

[noisysocks]

I'd prefer we go all in on wp-now and drop support for wp-env, to be honest. wp-env requires Docker which has a pretty strict licensing agreement. wp-now uses open source technologies and so I think is a better long term fit for WordPress.

[lgersman]

I think wp-now will be a realistic replacement option over wp-env if it once supports PHP debugging (aka XDebug).

What about using Podman instead of Docker ?