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Ask HN: Do you use starter/boilerplate code for projects?

Do you have favorite stack ready for any application? How much time do you spend on researching frameworks/stacks before coding?

linkdd 5y ago
If the question is "do I use scripts like create-react-app", the answer is no. In general, I don't like code generators, I like to understand what I'm doing from the beginning and add stuff when I need them. But I do have a set of tools that I know and that I end up setting up in my projects. For Javascript, it's: - Typescript - Apollo server/client - Mocha, Sinon, Chai - Vue, Vuex with Bulma For Python, it's: - Poetry - Pytest - Pyright (type checking) For Elixir, it's: - Phoenix if needed (not using the generators) - ExDoc - Whatever lib I need
- SandroRybarik 5y ago
  Thanks for the comment. Yeah I also dislike too many batteries included before actual development, but I like the idea of creating own starter template that is usable in every situation for given set of usecases.
  - linkdd 5y ago
    Each time I set up a new project, I reevaluate the tools I use: Is there a new major version? Is my configuration obsolete? Is there a better tool for the job? That's how I switched from nyc to c8 for example (test coverage). Or when I upgrade hugo. Or look at new versions of Typescript, Bulma etc... If I had a template (which is a fancy word for copy-pasting), I wouldn't do that and slowly but surely my stack would be out of date. Starting a new project is the moment when you reconsider your previous choices.
Hackbraten 5y ago
I use Cookiecutter for scaffolding but only with templates I’ve written myself. Pre-existing templates may be more powerful and less buggy but I prefer to keep unneeded dependencies out of my projects. Writing my own templates also forces me to learn how everything fits together (and how sometimes it doesn’t). The trade-off has been worth it for me so far.
_benj 5y ago
I think it really depends on the project. If it’s a project for work it often has a deadline and thus saving all the time I can by using boilerplates or anything else is usually the way to go. When is a project for myself I’m personally more interested in understanding how my code works (I mean, I don’t need to know the internals of sqlite…)
- SandroRybarik 5y ago
  Do you think there is a need for centralised place with curated starter templates that are also kept updated on regular basis?
  - _benj 5y ago
    For work projects, absolutely. It would be and easier sell to a tech/product manager if there's some credibility behind the boiler plate (who's using it, last update, github stars...) For personal project, I wouldn't find them that useful unless they are clean enough that I can understand what they are, what are they doing and how they are doing it, instead of me starting from scratch.
muzani 5y ago
I have boilerplate Android code to run experiments with, mostly with things like network, tests, kotlin, viewmodel, and so on. Sad thing is it's always a little obsolete every time I try to use it again, and I've had situations where it's over architected.

Do you have favorite stack ready for any application? How much time do you spend on researching frameworks/stacks before coding?

linkdd 5y ago

If the question is "do I use scripts like create-react-app", the answer is no. In general, I don't like code generators, I like to understand what I'm doing from the beginning and add stuff when I need them. But I do have a set of tools that I know and that I end up setting up in my projects. For Javascript, it's: - Typescript - Apollo server/client - Mocha, Sinon, Chai - Vue, Vuex with Bulma For Python, it's: - Poetry - Pytest - Pyright (type checking) For Elixir, it's: - Phoenix if needed (not using the generators) - ExDoc - Whatever lib I need

SandroRybarik 5y ago
Thanks for the comment. Yeah I also dislike too many batteries included before actual development, but I like the idea of creating own starter template that is usable in every situation for given set of usecases.
- linkdd 5y ago
  Each time I set up a new project, I reevaluate the tools I use: Is there a new major version? Is my configuration obsolete? Is there a better tool for the job? That's how I switched from nyc to c8 for example (test coverage). Or when I upgrade hugo. Or look at new versions of Typescript, Bulma etc... If I had a template (which is a fancy word for copy-pasting), I wouldn't do that and slowly but surely my stack would be out of date. Starting a new project is the moment when you reconsider your previous choices.

Hackbraten 5y ago

I use Cookiecutter for scaffolding but only with templates I’ve written myself. Pre-existing templates may be more powerful and less buggy but I prefer to keep unneeded dependencies out of my projects. Writing my own templates also forces me to learn how everything fits together (and how sometimes it doesn’t). The trade-off has been worth it for me so far.

_benj 5y ago

I think it really depends on the project. If it’s a project for work it often has a deadline and thus saving all the time I can by using boilerplates or anything else is usually the way to go. When is a project for myself I’m personally more interested in understanding how my code works (I mean, I don’t need to know the internals of sqlite…)

SandroRybarik 5y ago
Do you think there is a need for centralised place with curated starter templates that are also kept updated on regular basis?
- _benj 5y ago
  For work projects, absolutely. It would be and easier sell to a tech/product manager if there's some credibility behind the boiler plate (who's using it, last update, github stars...) For personal project, I wouldn't find them that useful unless they are clean enough that I can understand what they are, what are they doing and how they are doing it, instead of me starting from scratch.

muzani 5y ago

I have boilerplate Android code to run experiments with, mostly with things like network, tests, kotlin, viewmodel, and so on. Sad thing is it's always a little obsolete every time I try to use it again, and I've had situations where it's over architected.