“src” and the use case
“src” is short for “source code.” In a sense, a source code folder contains all the code for a game, usually with an automatically organized folder hierarchy. This allows the code to be edited outside of Roblox Studio.
As a developer, having to use tools such as Rojo can feel like an extra step when trying to use third-party tools for programming. This wastes precious time.
To resolve this, it would be neat to optionally have an “src” hard-copy folder associated with an experience in order to directly integrate it with, for example, Visual Studio Code and GitHub.
What my current programming flow is like:
Creating a game:
- For every new project, I create a new Roblox place and install Yucon Framework
- I create folders for modules that I will need in the future
- I download a copy of the game to my files
- I run an application to convert a place file into a rojo-compatible folder (takes a couple minutes). Through that application, I pick the file, then I pick the folder, then it downloads all the content.
Updating a game:
- I open Roblox Studio and the Rojo plugin
- I open visual studio and wait for Rojo to boot up (about 10-15 seconds at most)
- In Roblox studio, I use the rojo “connect” button to run a local host connection to sync the code
- I can now code in visual studio for that session, BUT NOT WITH THE BUILT-IN EDITORS
What the workflow could change to after a “src” folder
Creating a game:
- For every new project, I create a new Roblox place and install Yucon Framework (future folders can be made along the way for development)
- I enable an “src folder” option and pick where I would like code to be
Updating a game:
- I open Roblox Studio
- I open Visual Studio
- I can now update the game
If this feature was added, the workflow for many high-grade developers/studios would be greatly improved, and it would reduce the number of services required to use third-party tools.
Source-code folders are used by industry standard engines; if Roblox is looking to be industry standard, this change is a step in the right direction.