Overriding inferred targets

Nx applies nx.json targetDefaults and project.json on top of the targets a plugin infers. A dependsOn there replaces the inferred one, rather than merging with it. So:

• Don't define the stage targets (build, build:_, build:run…) yourself.
• If a bound target sets its own dependsOn, include its lifecycle dependency: the hook before its own, or <stage>:_ for the first hook.

Extra dependencies for a bound target

Say e2e-test is bound to test:run, and needs my-server built first. Its lifecycle dependency is the hook before test:run. With hooks run and report, that is the anchor, test:_:

// apps/my-app/project.json
{
    "targets": {
        "e2e-test": {
            "dependsOn": [{ "target": "build", "projects": ["my-server"] }, "test:_"]
        }
    }
}

If you leave out test:_, e2e-test would run before build. nx-lifecycle checks the merged configuration of every project when Nx builds the project graph, and fails with the entry to add:

nx-lifecycle targets are not wired as configured:
- e2e-test is bound to test:run, so it must depend on test:_. A dependsOn in project.json or nx.json targetDefaults replaces the inferred one, so add "test:_" to it
  Projects: my-app

The same problem in many projects is reported once, since it usually comes from targetDefaults.

Use this sparingly. If many projects need the same dependency, it belongs in the stage.

nx-lifecycle explain shows extra dependencies next to the target:

2. test
   after: build
   test:run
     e2e-test (also after: my-server:build)

Limitations

• Only projects with a project.json get lifecycle targets. Projects inferred from package.json alone don't.
• A target created by another Nx plugin is only wired if it is also declared in project.json, e.g. "vite:build": {}.
• Nx must load the plugin before it can build anything, so a workspace can't use the plugin from its own unbuilt source. Depend on a published version, or use the executor.