# Agama Web UI

The Agama web user interface is a React-based application that offers a user
interface to the [Agama service](file:../service).

## Development

The easiest way to work on the Agama Web UI is to use the development server.
The advantage is that you can use the [Hot Module Replacement] (https://
webpack.js.org/concepts/hot-module-replacement/) feature for automatically
updating the code and stylesheet in the browser without reloading the page.

### Using a development server

To start the [webpack-dev-server](https://github.com/webpack/webpack-dev-server)
use this command:

```
    npm run server -- --open
```

The extra `--open` option automatically opens the server page in your default
web browser. In this case the server will use the `http://localhost:8080` URL
and expects a running `agama-web-server` at `http://localhost`.

This can work also remotely, with a Agama instance running in a different
machine (a virtual machine as well). In that case run

```
    AGAMA_SERVER=https://<IP>:<port> npm run server -- --open
```

Where `AGAMA_SERVER` is the IP address, the hostname or the full URL of the
running Agama server instance. This is especially useful if you use the Live ISO
which does not contain any development tools, you can develop the web frontend
easily from your workstation.

Example of running from different machine:

```
  # backend machine
  # using ip of machine instead of localhost is important to be network accessible
  # second address is needed for SSL which is mandatory for remote access
  agama-web-server serve --address :::80 --address :::443

  # frontend machine
  # ESLINT=0 is useful to ignore linter problems during development
  ESLINT=0 AGAMA_SERVER=https://10.100.1.1 npm run server
```

If you are using the Live ISO then you can use the predefined `agama` host name
configured via mDNS:

```
   AGAMA_SERVER=https://agama.local npm run server
```

### Debugging Hints

There are several places to look when something does not work and requires debugging.
The first place is the browser's console which can give
some hints. The second location to check for errors or warnings is output of `npm run server`
where you can find issues when communicating with the backend. And last but on least is
journal on backend machine where is logged backend activity `journalctl -b`.
If the journal does not contain the required info, you can inspect the D-Bus communication
which can give hint about data flow. Command is `busctl monitor --address unix:path=/run/agama/bus`

### Special Environment Variables

`AGAMA_SERVER` - When running the development server set up a proxy to
the specified Agama web server. See the [using a development server]
(#using-a-development-server) section above.

`LOCAL_CONNECTION` - Force behaving as in a local connection, useful for
development or testing some Agama features. For example the keyboard layout
switcher is displayed only in local installation because it cannot work in
remote connection. This option will force displaying it even in a remote
connection.

## Type-Checking Support

This module started as a JavaScript-only project. We have decided to add type-checking support, but
instead of converting the code to TypeScript, we prefer to use [TypeScript support for JSDoc
annotations](https://www.typescriptlang.org/docs/handbook/intro-to-js-ts.html).

Run the following command to check the types:

```
npm run check-types
```

Not our JavaScript code is properly documented yet, so type-checking is an opt-in feature by now. If
you want a JavaScript file to be type-checked, please add a `// @ts-check` comment before any code.

### Links

- [Webpack documentation](https://webpack.js.org/configuration/)
- [PatternFly documentation](https://www.patternfly.org)
- [Material Symbols (aka icons)](https://fonts.google.com/icons)