can we also make this a dev-dependency?

it needs to be a dependency, for the CLI to work in npx.

One terrible hack might be to combine npx with serve, in the script, instead:

#!/usr/bin/env node

const { spawn } = require('child_process')
process.chdir(__dirname)
const proc = spawn('npx', ["serve"])
proc.stdout.pipe(process.stdout)

You could go further and remove serve from devDependencies and set start to npx serve.

This seems like a dark-pattern though, in order to not have a dependency listed (calling npx, inside a potential npx call) and since the only people who are running this command (vs using the deployed copy, at a URL) should probably install it's deps properly via npm (using the dependencies field) I think the other way is a bit better.

can we not simply do this
http://www.sheshbabu.com/posts/publishing-npx-command-to-npm/
why even have a serve handler? :) is it because you want to run it via nodejs without installing it anywhere?

I am assuming npx tilemap-editor@latest does that.

I guess the intention here is that you run this command and tiled-editor just starts working on a localhost server? Does that run the index.html file?

Why do you want to do that, when you can simply use the PWA?
https://blurymind.github.io/tilemap-editor/

seems easier to me to visit https://blurymind.github.io/tilemap-editor/ and even install it so it works offline, than to run npx tilemap-editor@latest

If that is the case, there is no justification to add a dependency to it imo

can we not simply do this

if you look at that link, you will see you need to make a javascript handler that does what you want (that you put in the bin field) which is what I did. That handler has serve as a dependency.

I am assuming npx tilemap-editor@latest does that.

No.

seems easier to me to visit https://blurymind.github.io/tilemap-editor/

Yeh, agreed. That is another way to run the editor, if you don't want to run it locally.

and even install it so it works offline, than to run npx tilemap-editor@latest

Not sure what you mean. Try that. Does it do what you expect? Without a handler, it doesn't run anything, so there is no local web-server.

If that is the case, there is no justification to add a dependency to it imo

Well, that's up to you. Seems like a weird choice to me. Like the runtime code has no added dependency, it's just so the npx command works. If you don't want the npx command to work, then don't do it, but that was the point of this PR.

If not having a dependency listed is so important, I offer a solution above. I don't think it's good (listing the dependency is better) but that would resolve the "I don't want a dependency listed"

that works even now though, right?

no. did you try it?

here is an example of it not working: https://asciinema.org/a/gPMlSSiDh2lNbbB6ahazONJ9B