qtqml-tooling-qmlls.qdoc

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// Copyright (C) 2023 The Qt Company Ltd.
// SPDX-License-Identifier: LicenseRef-Qt-Commercial OR GFDL-1.3-no-invariants-only
 
/*!
\page qtqml-tooling-qmlls.html
\title \QMLLS Reference
\brief Overview of \QMLLS (qmlls).
\ingroup qtqml-tooling
 
\QMLLS is a tool shipped with Qt that helps you write code
in your favorite (LSP-supporting) editor.
See \l{https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/}{Language Server Protocol}
for more information.
 
Currently, it enables your editor to:
\list
    \li Autocomplete your code
    \li Display qmllint warnings
    \li Navigate to definitions in QML files
    \li Find usages of JavaScript variables and QML objects
    \li Rename JavaScript variables and QML objects
    \li Format QML files
\endlist
 
\note qmlls is currently in development, see \l{Known Limitations} for
more details.
 
\section1 Supported Features
 
\section2 Linting
 
\QMLLS can automatically lint opened QML files
and display warnings or errors straight in the editor. See
\l{qmllint Reference}{qmllint} for more information about the linting process.
 
\section2 Formatting
 
\QMLLS can format entire files from inside
the editor. See \l{qmlformat} for more information about the
formatting process.
 
 
\section2 Finding Definitions
 
\QMLLS can find definitions of JavaScript variables,
functions, QML object id's and QML properties from their usages.
 
\QMLLS can also find the definition of types used in
type annotations for JavaScript functions, QML object properties,
and QML object instantiation.
 
\section2 Finding Usages
 
\QMLLS can find usages of JavaScript variables,
QML object properties, JavaScript functions, QML object methods,
and QML object id's.
 
\section2 Renaming
 
\QMLLS can rename JavaScript variables and functions,
as well as QML object properties, methods, and id's, as long as
they are defined in a QML file.
 
\section2 Suggesting Autocompletion Items
 
\QMLLS provides autocompletion suggestions for
JavaScript variables, expressions, and statements, as well as
QML object properties, methods, and id's.
 
\section2 Tracking Changes in C++ Files
 
\QMLLS can track changes in C++ files defining QML
types. It automatically rebuilds CMake QML modules to provide
accurate and up-to-date warnings and completion items for C++
defined QML types.
 
You can
\l{Disabling automatic CMake builds}{disable this feature}.
 
\section1 Setting up the \QMLLS in Your Editor
 
\note You can find the \QMLLS binary under
\c{<Qt installation folder>/bin/qmlls} in installations of Qt
made with \QOI.
 
\section2 Setting up the Build Directory
 
\QMLLS needs to know the location of your build
folder. You can pass it the following ways:
\list
    \li The \c{--build-dir} command line option. In this case
your editor should invoke \c{qmlls} as following:
\badcode
<path/to/qmlls> --build-dir <path/to/build-directory>
\endcode
    \li The \c{QMLLS_BUILD_DIRS} environment variable.
    \li The \c{.qmlls.ini} settings file, see \l {Configuration File}.
\endlist
 
\note When the build directory is specified in multiple ways, the
command line option takes preference over the environment variable
that takes precedence over the setting file.
 
\section2 Disabling Automatic CMake Builds
 
\c{qmlls} will try to trigger a CMake rebuild when it detects that the
source code of a C++ defined QML type has been modified.
 
To disable this feature, use the following ways:
\list
    \li The \c{--no-cmake-calls} command line option. In this case
your editor should invoke \c{qmlls} as follows:
\badcode
<path/to/qmlls> --build-dir <path/to/build-directory> --no-cmake-calls
\endcode
    \li The \c{QMLLS_NO_CMAKE_CALLS} environment variable.
    \li The \c{.qmlls.ini} settings file, see \l {Configuration File}.
\endlist
 
\section1 Configuration File
 
\QMLLS can be configured via a configuration file \c{.qmlls.ini}.
This file should be in the root source directory of the project.
It should be a text file in the ini-format.
 
\note \c{.qmlls.ini} files can be generated automatically via
\l{QT_QML_GENERATE_QMLLS_INI}.
 
The configuration file should look like this:
\code
// .qmlls.ini
[General]
buildDir=<path/to/build-directory>
no-cmake-calls=<true-or-false>
\endcode
 
Currently, the configuration file can be used to set the build
directory of the current project and optionally disable the automatic
CMake rebuild functionality for C++ defined QML types.
 
\note \QMLLS can create default configuration files
using the \c{--write-defaults} option. This will overwrite an
already existing .qmlls.ini file in the current directory.
 
\section1 Known Limitations
 
\QMLLS might emit false positive warnings on projects
that were not built, as it needs the build information to find
QML modules defined in the same project, for example.
 
Despite covering many common QML features,
the \QMLLS is still in development with some features
yet to be supported:
 
\list
    \li Renaming QML types.
    \li Suggesting autocompletions on invalid QML files.
    \li Navigating to definitions of objects defined in C++.
    \li Supporting all QML and JavaScript language constructs for all features.
\endlist
 
The QML code model in the \QMLLS does not yet
support all of the JavaScript language constructs, which means that
some features like navigating to definition and finding usages might not
work on these language constructs.
 
 
*/