BLT (Build & Launch Tool) is a standardized project template and set of tools for building, testing, and deploying Drupal 8 sites. It aims to address issues with traditional project development like inconsistent workflows, lack of collaboration, and difficulty changing resources between projects. BLT provides a common directory structure, automated testing, and commands for validating code and deploying sites. New projects can be created quickly using BLT by running composer commands.

1. Introduction to BLT
Build & Launch Tool
By Srikanth V Mattihalli & Tejasvi C H

2. Why BLT??

3. Traditional Project Development
Projects
- Scratch Development
- Different modules / widgets running on various versions
- Code is configured and organized differently using different workflow
- Maintenance and development strategy is different.
- Proper collaboration and Handovers / Documents are required.
- Resources cant be changed between projects
Risks
- Deadline management
- Burnout

4. Solution
Standard project template and one set of tools for every project which evolved
as Acquia build and launch tool (BLT).
* Standardized template for drupal 8 sites
* set of tools for building testing and deploying
* commands for automating usage of those tools
Consider BLT as module and not as application to be installed globally on your
system.

5. Minimum Requirements
- Development Environment: LAMP stack that runs Drupal. (DrupalVM,
DevDesktop)
- Dependency Mangement (Composer)
- Version Control (git)
- Deployment Management (CI / CD - Travis CD)
- Automated Testing (Behat, PHPunit)
- Backend Technologies (PHP)
- Frontend Technologies (npm, gulp, SASS)

6. Creating a new project with BLT
$composer create-project --no-interaction acquia/blt-project my-project
By default, BLT will install sites using the lightning profile. You can change this to
any other core, contributed, or custom profile in your codebase by customizing
blt/blt.yml file.

7. Directory Structure
Root
├── blt - Contains custom build config files for CI solutions
├── box - Contains DrupalVM Configuration (optional, created by `blt vm`)
├── config - Contains Drupal 8 configuration files
├── drush - Contain drush configuration that is not site or environment specific
├── docroot - The drupal docroot
├── hooks - Contains Acquia Cloud hooks (optional)
├── patches - Contains private patches to be used by composer.json
├── reports - Contains output of automated tests; is .gitignored
├── tests - Contains project-level test files and configuration
├── vendor - Contains built composer dependencies; is .gitignored

8. blt.yml
project:
machine_name: my-project
prefix: BLT
human_name: 'BLTed 8'
profile:
name: lightning
local:
protocol: http
hostname:
'local.${project.machine_name}.com'
git:
default_branch: master
remotes: { }
drush:
aliases:
remote: '${project.machine_name}.test'
local: self
ci: self
default_alias: '${drush.aliases.local}'
modules:
local:
enable: [dblog, devel, seckit, views_ui]
uninstall: [acquia_connector, shield]
ci:
enable: { }
uninstall: [acquia_connector, shield]
dev:
enable: [acquia_connector, shield]
uninstall: { }
test:
enable: [acquia_connector, shield]
uninstall: [devel, views_ui]
prod:
enable: [acquia_connector, shield]
uninstall: [devel, views_ui]

9. ● blt blt:init:settings
generates settings files docroot/sites/default/settings/local.settings.php
● blt setup
Install Drupal and automatically generate any remaining required files (e.g.,
settings.php, hash salt, etc...):
● Congratulations, you now have a running local Drupal site using BLT!

10. Next Steps
● Initialize CI integration
Two CI solutions are supported out-of-the-box
➢ Acquia Pipelines
➢ Travis CI
blt recipes:ci:pipelines:init
# OR
blt recipes:ci:travis:init

11. Other commonly used commands
# list targets
blt
# validate code via phpcs, php lint, composer
validate, etc.
blt validate
# run phpunit tests
blt tests:phpunit:run
# ssh into vm & run behat tests
blt tests:behat:run
# diagnose issues
blt doctor
# build a deployment artifact
blt artifact:build
# build artifact and deploy to git.remotes
blt artifact:deploy
# update BLT
composer update acquia/blt --with-dependencies
# download & require a new project
composer require drupal/ctools:^8.3.0

12. References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=qPSwb-6xi74
https://blt.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

13. Questions??

14. Srikanth V Mattihalli
https://in.linkedin.com/in/srikanthvmattihalli
https://github.com/srikantmatihali
srikantmatihali@gmail.com
Tejasvi C H
https://in.linkedin.com/in/tejasvi-c-h-a0483b14a
tejasvi2.c.h@gmail.com
About US