Files that don't contain UI (.data.ftd files)

[siddhantk232]

I've seen fastn projects with .ftd files that do not contain any UI. These files are not meant to be served by the HTTP server but to be used in other modules (.ftd files).

Here's the most recent example I found in the /page-module.ftd of website-template (it just contains a record instance):

-- ws.about-data about-info: ABOUT
about-img: https://meenukumari.com/-/meenukumari.com/assets/hero-image-dark.svg

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Tristique amet sed massa nibh lectus netus in. 
Aliquet donec morbi convallis pretium. Turpis tempus pharetra. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. 
Tristique amet sed massa nibh lectus netus in. Aliquet donec morbi convallis pretium. Turpis tempus pharetra.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Tristique amet sed massa nibh lectus netus in. 
Aliquet donec morbi convallis pretium. Turpis tempus pharetra.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Tristique amet sed massa nibh lectus netus in. 
Aliquet donec morbi convallis pretium. Turpis tempus pharetra.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Tristique amet sed massa nibh lectus netus in. 
Aliquet donec morbi convallis pretium. Turpis tempus pharetra.

fastn should have a convention (or an enforced rule) that files ending with .data.ftd are ignore by the HTTP server.

[amitu]

We already support -- ftd.json: which short circuits the current package evaluation and returns the JSON. We can create -- ftd.non-http: or something, which will effectively make it give a 404.

If it should be called ftd.non-http or we should use fastn.non-http no onwards is open.

[amitu]

Also you can just use -- ftd.redirect: / or something today to achieve the goal of "ignore by the HTTP server".

So we can return redirect or 404. Making the file name part of convention means if you change your mind you will have to rename, which will break your imports (the whole point of such files is so they are used by other modules via imports).