@wordpress/scripts deletes files

[Lewiscowles1986]

Describe the bug

Following the instructions on @wordpress/scripts leads to files deleting themselves.

To reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. add the import and splats from the @wordpress/scripts npm (trying to reduce package size)
2. run npm run build
3. observe many missing files (not sent to recycle bin or trash, but permanently deleted... WTAF)

Expected behavior

Not deleting, reverting or modifying files without a prompt to confirm (minimize any user surprise)

Additional context

This is when using the @wordpress/scripts package at version 12.1.1 windows 64-bit using vscode & git bash.

[Soean]

This feature was added in #23135 to clean up the build folder. If you have other build scripts maybe use a subfolder for the output of the wordpress scripts.

@ocean90

[Lewiscowles1986]

What I've done instead (for now at least) is not used @wordpress/scripts, but rather @wordpress/dependency-extraction-webpack-plugin which was the part I wanted. (1.75MB when using Storybook as I had to use import instead of sneakily relying on globals). It's now down to < 10KB which is lower than the starting point of >10KB <20KB

The files going missing were in {repo}/src and included:

• lib
• media
• node_modules
• storybook

webpack.config.js

const DependencyExtractionWebpackPlugin = require( '@wordpress/dependency-extraction-webpack-plugin' );

var config = {
	entry: './index.js',
	output: {
		path: __dirname,
		filename: 'block.build.js',
	},
	module: {
		rules: [
			{
				test: /\/stories\/.+\.js$/,
				loaders: [ require.resolve( '@storybook/source-loader' ) ],
				enforce: 'pre',
			},
			{
				test: /.js$/,
				loader: 'babel-loader',
				exclude: /node_modules/,
			},
			{
				test: /.scss$/,
				loader: 'sass-loader',
			}
		],
	},
	plugins: [],
};

module.exports = (env, argv) => {
	if (argv.mode === 'development') {
		config.devtool = 'source-map';
	}

	if(process.env.WP_NO_EXTERNALS) {
		config.plugins.push(
			new DependencyExtractionWebpackPlugin( {
				injectPolyfill: true,
				outputFormat: 'json'
			})
		);
	}

	return config;
};

It seems to have fixed the issue for-now. I may have to spend a lot more time to bring the repo (2017 I think) in-line with 2020 😁

[Lewiscowles1986]

I also can't think of why https://www.npmjs.com/package/clean-webpack-plugin would be the culprit. It's defaults and the usage seem to suggest this is something else.

[ocean90]

By default clean-webpack-plugin deletes everything defined in output.path. In your example it's __dirname so it deletes everything in the same directory as the config is. You should use a separate output directory. See the default config for an example.

[gziolo]

It looks like there is no action left. I will close this issue. @Lewiscowles1986, did you manage to resolve your issue by following the recommendation shared?