htvend is an essential tool designed to capture and manage internet dependencies required for executing a task. By creating a manifest of online assets, htvend facilitates the management of project dependencies, allowing for seamless project continuity even in scenarios involving restricted internet access or asset unavailability.

Key Features

1. Manifest Creation: Automatically builds a manifest file assets.json that lists all the internet assets needed, which can be checked in with your project's version control system. This serves as a robust upstream package lock file for various asset types.

2. Offline Functionality: Users can replicate the original internet connectivity experience even when offline. By utilizing the cached assets, htvend can serve the required content without further internet connections:

   htvend offline -- curl https://www.google.com.au
   

   This command will fetch pre-cached content without any external connectivity, ensuring continued operation in air-gapped or other restricted environments.

3. Asset Exporting: Easy packaging and transfer of cached assets to different environments. This feature enables a straightforward migration of dependencies without requiring direct internet access:

   htvend export
   

4. Proxy Server: Implements a local HTTP and HTTPS proxy server that aids in managing how dependencies are retrieved and served. The server operates on a dynamic port with a self-signed certificate, ensuring a secure means of handling requests:

   htvend build -- env
   

   This command illustrates the setup of relevant environment variables needed for the proxy operation.

5. Verification Tools: Ensures the integrity of project dependencies by verifying local asset availability against the manifest. Users can also fetch or repair missing assets:

   htvend verify --fetch
   

Use Cases

• Offline Development: Particularly beneficial for teams working in environments with no internet access, allowing them to continue development and testing without interruptions.
• Dependency Control: Helps maintain control over external changes, especially when upstream assets change unexpectedly or are removed. Users can make modifications to their applications without introducing external changes inadvertently.

Practical Example

To quickly start with htvend, execute the following commands:

mkdir test
cd test
htvend build -- curl https://www.google.com.au

This captures the content from the specified URL and populates the assets.json file. Subsequent runs can then access this data without requiring internet access, enabling a flexible development workflow.

Conclusion

htvend recognizes the complexities associated with handling internet-dependent assets in projects, particularly those involving vulnerability to external changes. This straightforward tool aims to ease this complexity and provide developers with reliable control over their dependencies, ensuring a smoother workflow and successful project outcomes.