Edited extensions' js file but not effective

AlisonYung

I've edited an extension's js file, subscriptions/js/src/forum/components/subscriptionMenu.js, and tried php flarum cache:clear, removed the public/assets js files, and clear the browser's cache files, but it does not come into effect.

Then I directly edited the subscriptions/js/dist/forum.js.map file, and I again cleared all the cache above, then I see the file is updated in sources tab in DevTools, but the js still doesn't work.

What's the best way to make updated js files come into effect? Do I have to edit the dist/ js files rather than the files in src/?

askvortsov

AlisonYung neither of these is a good idea: your changes will be wiped as soon as the extension updates. If you want to modify an extension, you should fork it and use a forked version instead of the original, or make another extension that extends the first extension.

AlisonYung

askvortsov but I just want a minor modification to the extension, say adding a message popup after the extension has done something. Making another extension would be much more time-consuming.

askvortsov

AlisonYung then you should make a fork of the extension. Or even better, if others might need your change, make a fork, and submit that change as a PR to the original.

luceos

The process of properly changing the dist/js files is to recompile them:

go into the js folder of the extension
edit the files you want to edit in src/
run npm install && npm run build (or another command listed in package.json to build for production)
clear cache (php flarum cache:clear)

Understand that editing files in vendor is not a very long term solution (as @askvortsov pointed out). It might do for now though.