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ALWasp field guidev0.2.4

Build AL without breaking your flow.

The commands, config decisions, release clock, and CI signals worth keeping within arm’s reach.

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Fast path4 steps
  1. 01alwasp init
  2. 02alwasp config validate
  3. 03alwasp build ci
  4. 04alwasp validate compatibility

01 / Commands

The working set

Start

Set up a repository

Install
dotnet tool install --global left-code.AlWasp
Discover projects
alwasp init
Validate config
alwasp config validate
Build default target
alwasp build

Build

Compile with intent

Target or profile
alwasp build ci
One profile
alwasp build --profile appsource
Changed projects
alwasp build ci --changed-since latest:v*
Write manifest
alwasp build ci --manifest output/build.json

Maintain

Versions and tools

Apply versions
alwasp version apply release
Check AL tools
alwasp tools update --check
Update AL tools
alwasp tools update --clean
Fresh package ID
alwasp app set-package-id MyApp.app

Verify

Analyze and gate releases

Impact of a change
alwasp analyze ci --changed-since latest
Translation coverage
alwasp validate translations --fail-on needs-review
Compare packages
alwasp compare old.app new.app --json out.json
Structured output
alwasp restore --format json

02 / Config anatomy

Inventory → profiles → targets

{
  "$schema": "https://alwasp.dev/schema/alwasp.schema.json",
  "version": 1,
  "defaultTarget": "ci",
  "apps": [{ "id": "Core", "path": "./Core" }],
  "tests": [{ "id": "CoreTest", "path": "./CoreTest", "app": "Core" }],
  "profiles": {
    "appsource": { "include": "apps", "appSourceCop": true },
    "test": { "include": "tests", "needsProfile": "appsource" }
  },
  "targets": { "ci": ["appsource", "test"] }
}

Merge order

defaults→profile→project override

Lists merge. Most strings and booleans use the most specific value.

Temporary transforms

versiondependenciesresourceExposurePolicyApplication InsightspreprocessorSymbols

Build restores the original app.json. version apply writes version changes permanently.

03 / Git changes

Choose a baseline

latestNewest local tag
latest:v*Newest local tag matching a glob
latest-merge:<text>Nearest matching first-parent merge
<git-ref>Explicit tag, branch, or commit
Use includeDependents: true to expand downstream. The older changeDetection.includeDependencies name is deprecated.

04 / Release clock

Friday nearest the 15th

The switch is inclusive. Repeated calculations in the same target month increment the build number.

When
Release
Preview
Before
Previous month
Current month
On / after
Current month
Next month

Hotfix was removed; repeated Release calculations cover that workflow.

05 / Compatibility

Two gates, different jobs

Compare packages

No compiler
alwasp compare old.app new.app \
  --json output/compare.json

Informational public-symbol change log between two compiled apps — always exits 0.

Validate source

AppSourceCop
alwasp validate compatibility \
  --project-root ./src \
  --baseline-directory ./latest

Recompiles current source against historical packages and validates in dependency order.

Authentication

Private feeds

ALWASP_PAT
Fallback token for authenticated feeds
--feed-token-env
Per-feed URL=ENV_VAR mapping
--auth-mode
Auto, Interactive, or NonInteractive

Outputs

Know the artifacts

.alpackages/
Restored symbol packages
.alwasp-packages
Incremental restore manifest
.output/build-manifest.json
Default requested build manifest

Exit signals

Make CI decisive

0Success / compare completed / no threshold hit1Invalid input or operation failed2Translation gate failed or tool update found
ALWasp cheatsheet · documentation for v0.2.4
Getting startedExamples