Problem
In development the resource loader only uses the classpath source. Under Eclipse the classpath is the output folder (target/classes), which Eclipse populates by copying from src/main/resources during its build. That copy only happens when Eclipse notices a change — an edit in its own editor or a workspace refresh. Edits made on disk by anything else (another editor, a script, an AI agent) leave target/classes stale, so templates and webserver resources appear not to change until a refresh/rebuild is triggered (today: the Parslips dev server's /refreshProject).
It isn't compilation, it's a resource copy step that never fires.
Proposal
NGResourceLoader.FileSystemDirectoryResourceSource already exists but isn't wired in. When running in development mode from a project directory (WOUserDirectory is known), have NGDevelopmentPlugin register a filesystem source pointing at src/main/resources ahead of the classpath source for the app namespace, so component templates and webserver resources are read live from disk on every request.
Considerations:
- Only for the
app namespace / the project being developed; plugins and frameworks keep the classpath source.
- Fall back to the classpath source when
src/main/resources doesn't exist (bundled deployments).
NGComponentDefinition caches parsed templates (_cachedTemplate); in development the cache needs to be invalidated (by mtime, or simply not cached) for this to take effect.- Same applies to whoa-style
webserver-resources served via /nr/….
Benefit
Templates and stylesheets go live on save for everyone — humans and agents — with no Eclipse round-trip, retiring a whole class of "why don't I see my change" moments. Parslips' /refreshProject would still be needed for Java changes (hot-swap), but not for templates or CSS.
Noted while working on the whoacommunity redesign, 2026-09-02.
Problem
In development the resource loader only uses the classpath source. Under Eclipse the classpath is the output folder (
target/classes), which Eclipse populates by copying fromsrc/main/resourcesduring its build. That copy only happens when Eclipse notices a change — an edit in its own editor or a workspace refresh. Edits made on disk by anything else (another editor, a script, an AI agent) leavetarget/classesstale, so templates and webserver resources appear not to change until a refresh/rebuild is triggered (today: the Parslips dev server's/refreshProject).It isn't compilation, it's a resource copy step that never fires.
Proposal
NGResourceLoader.FileSystemDirectoryResourceSourcealready exists but isn't wired in. When running in development mode from a project directory (WOUserDirectoryis known), haveNGDevelopmentPluginregister a filesystem source pointing atsrc/main/resourcesahead of the classpath source for the app namespace, so component templates and webserver resources are read live from disk on every request.Considerations:
appnamespace / the project being developed; plugins and frameworks keep the classpath source.src/main/resourcesdoesn't exist (bundled deployments).NGComponentDefinitioncaches parsed templates (_cachedTemplate); in development the cache needs to be invalidated (by mtime, or simply not cached) for this to take effect.webserver-resourcesserved via/nr/….Benefit
Templates and stylesheets go live on save for everyone — humans and agents — with no Eclipse round-trip, retiring a whole class of "why don't I see my change" moments. Parslips'
/refreshProjectwould still be needed for Java changes (hot-swap), but not for templates or CSS.Noted while working on the whoacommunity redesign, 2026-09-02.