Add --remote-source flag to create command by nick-pape · Pull Request #182 · SharePoint/spfx

nick-pape · 2026-03-24T18:53:29Z

Description

Adds a repeatable --remote-source URL flag to the create command, letting users point at custom public GitHub repos containing SPFx templates.

Remote sources are additive — they work alongside both the default GitHub source and --local-template sources:

Command	Sources used
`spfx create --template foo`	default GitHub only (unchanged)
`spfx create --template foo --local-template ./t`	local only (unchanged)
`spfx create --template foo --remote-source URL`	default GitHub + remote
`spfx create --template foo --local-template ./t --remote-source URL`	local + remote

The --remote-source flag also supports /tree/<ref> syntax in the URL for branch selection (using the existing parseGitHubUrlAndRef helper).

How was this tested

rushx build — 50/50 tests pass (4 new --remote-source tests, 45 existing, 1 help snapshot)
Tests were written TDD before the implementation
New tests cover: single remote source, multiple remote sources, branch extraction from /tree/, and interaction with --local-template

Type of change

New feature (non-breaking change which adds functionality)

Closes #90

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

Adds a repeatable --remote-source URL flag to the create command, letting users point at custom public GitHub repos containing SPFx templates. Remote sources are additive — they work alongside both the default GitHub source and --local-template sources. Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

Copilot

Pull request overview

Adds a repeatable --remote-source URL flag to spfx create so users can include additional public GitHub repositories as template sources, alongside the default GitHub source and/or any --local-template sources.

Changes:

Introduces --remote-source (repeatable) to create, and wires it into repository source selection.
Adds TDD coverage and updates help/output snapshots for the new flag.
Updates the CLI README and adds a Rush change file entry.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 6 out of 6 changed files in this pull request and generated 1 comment.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
common/changes/@microsoft/spfx-cli/remote-source_2026-03-24.json	Rush change file for the CLI change set.
apps/spfx-cli/src/cli/test/snapshots/CommandLineHelp.test.ts.snap	Updates CLI help snapshot to include `--remote-source`.
apps/spfx-cli/src/cli/actions/tests/snapshots/CreateAction.test.ts.snap	Updates snapshots for new source-selection test cases.
apps/spfx-cli/src/cli/actions/tests/CreateAction.test.ts	Adds tests for single/multiple remote sources, `/tree/<ref>` extraction, and interaction with `--local-template`.
apps/spfx-cli/src/cli/actions/CreateAction.ts	Implements the new `--remote-source` parameter and adds remote sources to the repository manager.
apps/spfx-cli/README.md	Documents `--remote-source` in the flags table and adds an example.

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Copilot · 2026-03-24T18:56:45Z

apps/spfx-cli/src/cli/actions/CreateAction.ts

+      for (const remoteUrl of this._remoteSourcesParameter.values) {
+        const { repoUrl: additionalRepoUrl, urlBranch: additionalUrlBranch } =
+          parseGitHubUrlAndRef(remoteUrl);
+        terminal.writeLine(
+          `Adding remote template source: ${additionalRepoUrl}` +


--remote-source URLs are passed through parseGitHubUrlAndRef() without any validation (e.g., empty/whitespace values, or non-github.com hosts). Since PublicGitHubRepositorySource ultimately only supports github.com (and builds downloads via codeload.github.com), invalid/unsupported URLs will fail later during getTemplatesAsync() with a less actionable error. Consider validating each remoteUrl up front (trim + non-empty + github.com host + expected path shape) and throwing a clear error that references --remote-source and the supported URL formats (including optional /tree/<ref>).

Valid observation. Today PublicGitHubRepositorySource already throws with the URL and reason (e.g. Invalid GitHub repository URL: ... or Failed to download repository: 404 Not Found), so users do get an actionable error. Early validation would improve the message but isn't blocking for v0. Filed as a potential follow-up alongside #178 (error message improvements).

Main merged PR SharePoint#175 which extracted parseGitHubUrlAndRef to utilities/github.ts and introduced SPFxActionBase. Re-added PublicGitHubRepositorySource import and parseGitHubUrlAndRef import needed by the --remote-source loop. Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

…urce

SharePoint#180 changed the constructor to take an options object. Updated the --remote-source call site in CreateAction to use { repoUrl, branch, terminal }. Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 6 out of 6 changed files in this pull request and generated 4 comments.

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Copilot · 2026-03-24T20:03:28Z

apps/spfx-cli/src/cli/actions/tests/CreateAction.test.ts

+        expect(MockedGitHub).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
+          1,
+          'https://github.com/SharePoint/spfx',
+          undefined,
+          expect.anything()


PublicGitHubRepositorySource is constructed with an options object ({ repoUrl, branch, terminal }) in this test file and in the implementation. This expectation uses positional args, so it won’t match the actual constructor call. Update it to assert the options-object shape for the default source call.

Copilot · 2026-03-24T20:03:29Z

apps/spfx-cli/src/cli/actions/tests/CreateAction.test.ts

+        expect(MockedGitHub).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
+          2,
+          'https://github.com/my-org/my-templates',
+          undefined,
+          expect.anything()


This expectation also assumes a positional constructor signature for PublicGitHubRepositorySource. Align it with the actual call shape by asserting { repoUrl: 'https://github.com/my-org/my-templates', branch: undefined, terminal: expect.anything() }.

Copilot · 2026-03-24T20:03:29Z

apps/spfx-cli/src/cli/actions/tests/CreateAction.test.ts

+        expect(MockedGitHub).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
+          2,
+          'https://github.com/my-org/my-templates',
+          'my-branch',
+          expect.anything()
+        );


PublicGitHubRepositorySource is instantiated with an options object, but this assertion checks positional args. Update it to validate the second call receives { repoUrl: 'https://github.com/my-org/my-templates', branch: 'my-branch', terminal: expect.anything() }.

Suggested change

expect(MockedGitHub).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(

2,

'https://github.com/my-org/my-templates',

'my-branch',

expect.anything()

);

expect(MockedGitHub).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(2, {

repoUrl: 'https://github.com/my-org/my-templates',

branch: 'my-branch',

terminal: expect.anything()

});

Copilot · 2026-03-24T20:03:29Z

apps/spfx-cli/src/cli/actions/tests/CreateAction.test.ts

+        expect(MockedGitHub).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+          'https://github.com/my-org/my-templates',
+          undefined,
+          expect.anything()
+        );


This toHaveBeenCalledWith assertion uses positional args, but PublicGitHubRepositorySource is constructed with an options object throughout the codebase. Update this to assert the options-object call shape so the test matches the real constructor invocation.

iclanton · 2026-03-24T20:12:22Z

apps/spfx-cli/src/cli/actions/CreateAction.ts

+    this._remoteSourcesParameter = this.defineStringListParameter({
+      parameterLongName: '--remote-source',
+      argumentName: 'URL',
+      description: 'Public GitHub repository URL to use as an additional template source (repeatable)'
+    });


Move this into the base class and deduplicate with the list action.

iclanton · 2026-03-24T20:12:41Z

apps/spfx-cli/src/cli/actions/CreateAction.ts

+      // Always process --remote-source URLs (additive with either local or default sources)
+      for (const remoteUrl of this._remoteSourcesParameter.values) {
+        const { repoUrl: additionalRepoUrl, urlBranch: additionalUrlBranch } =
+          parseGitHubUrlAndRef(remoteUrl);
+        terminal.writeLine(
+          `Adding remote template source: ${additionalRepoUrl}` +
+            `${additionalUrlBranch ? ` (branch: ${additionalUrlBranch})` : ''}`
+        );
+        manager.addSource(
+          new PublicGitHubRepositorySource({
+            repoUrl: additionalRepoUrl,
+            branch: additionalUrlBranch,
+            terminal
+          })
+        );
+      }


Move this into the base?

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings March 24, 2026 18:53

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of nick-pape March 24, 2026 18:54 View session

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nick-pape and others added 3 commits March 24, 2026 14:34

Merge remote-tracking branch 'upstream/main' into nick-pape/remote-so…

d122947

…urce

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings March 24, 2026 19:59

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of nick-pape March 24, 2026 20:00 View session

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Add --remote-source flag to create command#182

Add --remote-source flag to create command#182
nick-pape wants to merge 4 commits intoSharePoint:mainfrom
nick-pape:nick-pape/remote-source

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nick-pape commented Mar 24, 2026

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