2024-09-26 Frontend Working Group Meeting Notes: Plugin Slot Documentation and Props

Owned by Adolfo Brandes
Last updated: Sept 26, 2024
2 min read

 Date, time, location

 Discussion topic(s)

Slot documentation, plugin slot props (both based on this PR).

🎥Recording

 Participants

Adam Stankiewicz, Adolfo Brandes, Brian Smith, David Joy, Fox Piacenti, Jason Wesson, Juan Carlos Iasenza, Leonel Katsikaris, Max Frank, Milad Emami, Sarina Canelake

🤖 Summary

  1. Slot Documentation and Release Notes (Sarina Canelake):

    • Sarina proposed improving the release notes for plugin slots, specifically aimed at non-technical decision-makers. She emphasized using screenshots and user-friendly descriptions to show the value of new features.

    • The discussion covered providing before-and-after comparisons in screenshots to demonstrate the changes, like how a header or course card could be customized with plugins.

    • Sarina clarified that she’s not asking engineers to write release notes but would need clear visual examples to assist her in crafting non-technical documentation.

  2. Plugin Slot Props and Standards (Adolfo Brandes):

    • Adolfo introduced the topic of slot props and clarified that adding props to slots is a non-breaking change. This allows for flexibility and evolution of the slots without breaking previous functionality.

    • Jason and Max, who authored a plugin-related PR, discussed how they can meet the technical documentation standards and Sarina’s request for more user-friendly examples.

  3. Modifications to Plugin Slots (Brian Smith):

    • A conversation around how plugin slots are being used in modifying components. The group agreed on the need to ensure plugins do not rely on default content but use provided props.

    • The team discussed how plugin props can be merged without explicitly passing them and considered the risks of plugins assuming default content that might change in the future.

  4. Handling Arbitrary JavaScript in MFEs (Max Frank):

    • Max raised the idea of improving how arbitrary JavaScript can be injected into micro frontend environments (MFEs). Currently, a workaround is used by placing scripts in the footer slot, which isn’t ideal.

    • He proposed refactoring the external scripts functionality to pull loaders from an end-config.js file, making it more configurable and efficient. There was broad support for this idea, though considerations around performance were also mentioned.

  5. Upcoming Releases and Deadlines:

    • The team was reminded of the upcoming Sumac release cutoff on October 23rd. Developers were encouraged to ensure any final features are submitted before that deadline.

Key Takeaways:

  • The group emphasized improving communication and documentation between technical and non-technical stakeholders.

  • Slot props were highlighted as a flexible tool that can evolve without causing breaking changes.

  • There was an interest in improving how JavaScript is injected into MFEs to accommodate more diverse needs efficiently.

  • The next major event will be the Sumac release, with a final cutoff in late October.

This meeting was productive in addressing both technical and user-facing improvements related to the frontend development workflow.

 Action items

 Decisions