🚀 Feature: Documentation Request: Update guide "Writing Custom Actions" showing how to leverage Backstage CLI

[Al-Serhan]

🔖 Feature description

I would like to request updating the documentations on "Writing Custom Actions" by adding a step showing how to use the Backstage CLI to create a scaffolder custom action

🎤 Context

The documentation in this page describing how to write custom actions goes over the code breakdown in low level detail but doesn't actually take advantage of the CLI to show how you can create a scaffolder custom action. Adding this information to this doc will make the experience of on-boarding a lot easier.

✌️ Possible Implementation

The documentation should include:

• A step-by-step guide on how to create a custom action using backstage cli.
• Screenshots or GIFs demonstrating the process.

👀 Have you spent some time to check if this feature request has been raised before?

• [X] I checked and didn't find similar issue

🏢 Have you read the Code of Conduct?

• [X] I have read the Code of Conduct

Are you willing to submit PR?

Yes I am willing to submit a PR!

[awanlin]

Hi @Al-Serhan, this makes sense to me. Just so I'm on the same page you mean adding details about running yarn new to create the package with things nicely setup for you, right?

I might avoid screenshots unless you think they are really needed, I find they can create a disjointed experience - they don't match, take up a lot of space, and don't get updated easily over time. Open to see what you have in mind though. 👍

[Al-Serhan]

Hi @awanlin, yes correct the yarn new feature is what I meant. Absolutely screenshots aren't necessary it was just a suggestion that I threw. Happy to take this one up if you assign it to me.

[awanlin]

OK, great, I think this is a great idea. These docs dive right into the deep end so would appreciate you adding some of the steps before you get to that point 🚀

Feel free to tag me on you PR to help review 👍

Issue assigned 😄

[benjdlambert]

Just following up from the SIG here, that we got a report on discord that we should probably add support to the yarn new for scaffolder actions for the new backend system and exporting a backendModule too if that's possible :pray:

[Al-Serhan]

Hi @benjdlambert , since this would be an added code change, would it make sense to have it in an another seperate issue?

I tried to find the report on discord but I can't see it mentioned anywhere, maybe we can discuss in the SIG meeting.

[benjdlambert]

@Al-Serhan yeah, maybe another issue makes more sense - thought that this was the most relevant but I think you're right.