Custom Project Type Templates

Question

When you create a new project in WebStorm, you are given the option to create a new directory structure prepopulated with files: libraries, stylesheets, etc. for patterns like HTM5 boilerplate, Twitter boilerplate, etc.

How does one create one's own template for this? Is importing dummy projects the hack for it?

Answer 1

I suggest not using templates. I find it far more easy and maintainable to create "empty" projects (from existing projects, of course) in a git repo (bitbucket, github, ...), clone one, and start from there.

The .idea should be in the repo, but .idea/workspace.xml should be ignored, as per the documentation.

This gives you the opportunity to gradually refine your template, and share it easily with a team.

Answer 2

Use the LivePlugin plugin to create a project template:

<projectTemplate projectType="foo" templatePath="resources/bar.zip" category="true"/>

Use the Velocity Template Language (VTL) to create a file template:

File and code templates are written in the Velocity Template Language (VTL). So they may include:

Fixed text (markup, code, comments, etc.). 

In a file based on a template, the fixed text is used literally, as-is.

File template variables. 

When creating a file, the variables are replaced with their values. #parse directives to include other templates defined in the Includes tab on the File and Code Templates page of the Settings dialog box.

Other VTL constructs.

References

• Create project template extensions using "user defined" templates
• Creation of Extension to applicationConfigurable
• IdeaPlugin.xml
• PlatformExtensionPoints.xml
• LivePlugin: Plugin for writing IDE plugins
• Webstorm Help: File and Code Templates
• Configuring JetBrains WebStorm for UI5 development
• Webstorm Project and IDE Settings
• Idea NodeJS Plugin
• Apache Velocity Engine VTL Reference