LuCLI: stretch generators (api-resource, helper, snippets) Issue #1944

[bpamiri]

Add remaining generator subcommands beyond the core five (model, controller, view, migration, scaffold) + three (route, test, property) already implemented.

Generators

• generate api-resource — API-only controller + model (no views)
• generate helper — App helper file in app/global/
• generate snippets — Copy snippet templates to app/snippets/

These cover the long tail of code generation. Lower priority than the core generators.

Part of #1942

[bpamiri]

Analysis

Synopsis

Add three stretch generators to LuCLI beyond the eight already implemented: generate api-resource (API-only controller + model, no views), generate helper (app helper in app/global/), and generate snippets (copy snippet templates to app/snippets/).

Merit Assessment

Recommendation: Proceed

• All three are low-complexity additions that build on the existing CodeGen and Scaffold services without requiring new infrastructure.
• api-resource is the highest-value of the three — it's a common pattern for modern Wheels apps and the scaffold service already supports api=true (Scaffold.cfc line 30, CodeGen.cfc line 97). This is mostly a wiring exercise.
• helper and snippets are simple file-copy operations. Low effort, good for completeness.

Implementation Plan

1. generate api-resource (medium priority)

• Add a case in Module.cfc generate() function (around line 44) for "api-resource" or "api"
• Delegate to Scaffold.generateScaffold() with api=true — this already skips view generation and uses ApiControllerContent.txt template
• Template cli/src/templates/ApiControllerContent.txt already exists
• Output: model CFC + API controller CFC + migration + tests + route (no views)
• Estimated: ~30 minutes

2. generate helper (low priority)

• Add case in generate() for "helper"
• Create file at app/global/{Name}.cfm with a basic function skeleton
• No existing template — create inline or add HelperContent.txt to cli/src/templates/
• Convention: helpers are .cfm files with plain functions (no component wrapper)
• Estimated: ~20 minutes

3. generate snippets (low priority)

• Add case in generate() for "snippets"
• Copy all files from cli/src/templates/ to app/snippets/ in the project
• The Templates service (Templates.cfc line 177) already checks app/snippets/ as an override directory, so once copied, users can customize templates
• Add --force flag to overwrite existing snippets
• Estimated: ~20 minutes

4. Update help text in generate() (line 48) to list the new generator types.

Dependencies & Risks

• Depends on: LuCLI Phase 2: Service layer, generators, and MCP annotations #1941 (merged) — CodeGen and Scaffold services exist
• No blocking relationship — these are additive and can ship independently
• Risk: Minimal. All three generators produce new files only; no modification of existing code. The api-resource generator reuses the proven scaffold pipeline.
• Related: The ApiControllerContent.txt template should be verified to produce correct output with the LuCLI template processing (pipe-delimited |ObjectName| placeholders vs. {{variable}} style). Templates.cfc handles both styles (lines 62-146).

---

Automated analysis by @claude — review and adjust as needed.