feat(commands): definition providers, multi providers and preconditions

A definition declares `providers` for its invocation injector; the container takes `multi: true` providers, which shadow per level as in Angular; and COMMAND_PRECONDITIONS is a multi token run before setup and before the arguments policy. `provideProject()` is how a command declares that it runs inside a project.
NativeScript · edusperoni · Sep 14, 2026 · Sep 14, 2026 · Sep 14, 2026 · Sep 14, 2026
commit d7de64847207443fd04d820e725a4520e25f8152
diff --git a/defining-commands.md b/defining-commands.md
@@ -446,16 +446,53 @@ A handler resolves what it needs itself, at the top of its own body:
 export default defineCommand({
 	name: "widget|add",
 	arguments: "any",
+	providers: [provideProject()],
 	async run(ctx) {
 		const widgets = inject(WidgetService);
 		const projectData = inject(ProjectData);
 
-		projectData.initializeProjectData();
-		await widgets.add(ctx.args);
+		await widgets.add(ctx.args, projectData);
 	},
 });
 ```
 
+### Declaring what the command needs: `providers` and preconditions
+
+A definition may carry `providers`, added to each invocation's own injector
+next to the context, so a factory or class among them can inject the
+invocation and is built once per invocation. One token in that list is
+special: `COMMAND_PRECONDITIONS` is a multi token, and every
+`{ provide: COMMAND_PRECONDITIONS, multi: true, useValue: check }` contributes
+a **precondition** — a check on the environment the command runs in, as
+opposed to `canExecute`, which judges the arguments. Preconditions run when
+the invocation opens, in declaration order, before `setup` and before the
+arguments policy, inside the injection context, and a throw fails the
+invocation. That fixed order is the point: being outside a project is what a
+bad invocation reports first.
+
+The precondition every project command declares comes from a helper:
+
+```ts
+import { provideProject } from "../command-base";
+
+export default defineCommand({
+	name: "platform|clean",
+	providers: [provideProject()],
+	run(ctx) {
+		const projectData = inject(ProjectData); // the project the command line names
+	},
+});
+```
+
+`provideProject()` resolves the project from `--path` or the working
+directory and fails the invocation with the usual "no project found" error
+when there is none. A command that does not declare it — `doctor`, `create`,
+the `device` family — pays nothing, and a command that needs the project only
+when it is there, like `clean`, resolves it itself behind its own check. Never
+call `initializeProjectData()` from a command; declare the provider. A plugin
+adds its own preconditions the same way, with its own helper returning a
+multi provider for the token.
+
 The injection context is synchronous, so the `inject()` calls belong **above
 the first `await`** — see [Injection, and the first
 `await`](#injection-and-the-first-await). Resolve everything the handler needs
@@ -552,16 +589,12 @@ export class PlatformCleanCommand extends Command({
 	description: "Removes and adds again the selected platform.",
 	options: { frameworkPath: stringOption() },
 	arguments: "any",
+	providers: [provideProject()],
 }) {
 	private $platformCommandHelper = inject<IPlatformCommandHelper>(
 		"platformCommandHelper",
 	);
-	private $projectData = inject<IProjectData>("projectData");
-
-	constructor() {
-		super();
-		this.$projectData.initializeProjectData();
-	}
+	private $projectData = inject(ProjectData);
 
 	public async run(): Promise<void> {
 		await this.$platformCommandHelper.cleanPlatforms(
@@ -625,16 +658,14 @@ across invocations, and resolves nothing outside a running one.
 read as `this.$x`:
 
 ```ts
-export class PlatformAddCommand extends Command({ name: "platform|add" }) {
-	private $projectData = inject<IProjectData>("projectData");
+export class PlatformAddCommand extends Command({
+	name: "platform|add",
+	providers: [provideProject()],
+}) {
+	private $projectData = inject(ProjectData);
 	private $platformHelper = inject<IPlatformCommandHelper>(
 		"platformCommandHelper",
 	);
-
-	constructor() {
-		super();
-		this.$projectData.initializeProjectData();
-	}
 	// ...
 }
 ```
@@ -700,8 +731,8 @@ the registry. It claims every name the definition declares, through the
 is built by a factory on first resolution and cached.
 
 Pass providers as the second argument to add them to each invocation's child
-injector, the one `ctx.injector` names — how a definition is parameterized per
-registration:
+injector, the one `ctx.injector` names, next to the definition's own
+`providers` — how a definition is parameterized per registration:
 
 ```ts
 for (const [name, platform] of buildCommandPlatforms) {

diff --git a/lib/commands/add-platform.ts b/lib/commands/add-platform.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
-import { canExecuteCommandBase } from "./command-base";
+import { canExecuteCommandBase, provideProject } from "./command-base";
 import {
 	IPlatformCommandHelper,
 	IPlatformValidationService,
 } from "../declarations";
-import { IProjectData } from "../definitions/project";
 import {
 	Command,
 	CommandOptionsSchema,
 	stringOption,
 } from "../common/define-command";
 import { inject } from "../common/di";
+import { ProjectData } from "../contracts/project-data";
 
 const addPlatformCommandOptions = {
 	frameworkPath: stringOption(),
@@ -21,19 +21,15 @@ export class AddPlatformCommand extends Command({
 		"Configures the current project to target the selected platform.",
 	options: addPlatformCommandOptions,
 	arguments: "any",
+	providers: [provideProject()],
 }) {
 	private $platformCommandHelper = inject<IPlatformCommandHelper>(
 		"platformCommandHelper",
 	);
 	private $platformValidationService = inject<IPlatformValidationService>(
 		"platformValidationService",
 	);
-	private $projectData = inject<IProjectData>("projectData");
-
-	constructor() {
-		super();
-		this.$projectData.initializeProjectData();
-	}
+	private $projectData = inject(ProjectData);
 
 	public async canExecute(): Promise<boolean> {
 		const args = this.args;

diff --git a/lib/commands/appstore-list.ts b/lib/commands/appstore-list.ts
@@ -6,11 +6,12 @@ import {
 import { inject } from "../common/di";
 import { createTable } from "../common/helpers";
 import { IPlatformValidationService } from "../declarations";
-import { IProjectData } from "../definitions/project";
 import {
 	IApplePortalApplicationService,
 	IApplePortalSessionService,
 } from "../services/apple-portal/definitions";
+import { ProjectData } from "../contracts/project-data";
+import { provideProject } from "./command-base";
 
 const listiOSAppsCommandOptions = {
 	appleSessionBase64: stringOption(),
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ export class ListiOSAppsCommand extends Command({
 	description: "Lists the applications in App Store Connect.",
 	options: listiOSAppsCommandOptions,
 	arguments: [{ name: "appleId" }, { name: "password" }],
+	providers: [provideProject()],
 }) {
 	private $applePortalApplicationService =
 		inject<IApplePortalApplicationService>("applePortalApplicationService");
@@ -34,14 +36,9 @@ export class ListiOSAppsCommand extends Command({
 	private $platformValidationService = inject<IPlatformValidationService>(
 		"platformValidationService",
 	);
-	private $projectData = inject<IProjectData>("projectData");
+	private $projectData = inject(ProjectData);
 	private $prompter = inject<IPrompter>("prompter");
 
-	constructor() {
-		super();
-		this.$projectData.initializeProjectData();
-	}
-
 	public async run(): Promise<void> {
 		if (
 			!this.$platformValidationService.isPlatformSupportedForOS(

diff --git a/lib/commands/appstore-upload.ts b/lib/commands/appstore-upload.ts
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@ import {
 	IOptions,
 	IPlatformValidationService,
 } from "../declarations";
-import { IProjectData } from "../definitions/project";
 import { IApplePortalSessionService } from "../services/apple-portal/definitions";
+import { ProjectData } from "../contracts/project-data";
+import { provideProject } from "./command-base";
 
 const publishIOSCommandOptions = {
 	appleApplicationSpecificPassword: stringOption(),
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ export class PublishIOSCommand extends Command({
 	options: publishIOSCommandOptions,
 	// Arguments have never been rejected here, only ignored past the third.
 	arguments: "any",
+	providers: [provideProject()],
 }) {
 	private $applePortalSessionService = inject<IApplePortalSessionService>(
 		"applePortalSessionService",
@@ -50,14 +52,9 @@ export class PublishIOSCommand extends Command({
 	private $platformValidationService = inject<IPlatformValidationService>(
 		"platformValidationService",
 	);
-	private $projectData = inject<IProjectData>("projectData");
+	private $projectData = inject(ProjectData);
 	private $prompter = inject<IPrompter>("prompter");
 
-	constructor() {
-		super();
-		this.$projectData.initializeProjectData();
-	}
-
 	public canExecute(): boolean {
 		if (!this.$hostInfo.isDarwin) {
 			this.context.fail("iOS publishing is only available on macOS.", {

diff --git a/lib/commands/build.ts b/lib/commands/build.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
 import {
 	canExecuteCommandBase,
 	platformSigningOptions,
+	provideProject,
 	validatePlatformOptions,
 } from "./command-base";
 import { hasValidAndroidSigning } from "../common/helpers";
@@ -15,7 +16,6 @@ import {
 } from "../declarations";
 import { IBuildController, IBuildDataService } from "../definitions/build";
 import { IMigrateController } from "../definitions/migrate";
-import { IProjectData } from "../definitions/project";
 import {
 	booleanOption,
 	CommandName,
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import {
 	stringOption,
 } from "../common/define-command";
 import { inject } from "../common/di";
+import { ProjectData } from "../contracts/project-data";
 
 /**
  * Which `$devicePlatformsConstants` entry a command builds for. The constants
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ const defineBuildCommand = <const TName extends CommandName>(
 		description: "Builds the project for the selected target platform.",
 		options: buildCommandOptions,
 		arguments: "none",
+		providers: [provideProject()],
 		async canExecute(context): Promise<boolean> {
 			const $devicePlatformsConstants =
 				inject<Mobile.IDevicePlatformsConstants>("devicePlatformsConstants");
@@ -61,14 +63,13 @@ const defineBuildCommand = <const TName extends CommandName>(
 			const $platformValidationService = inject<IPlatformValidationService>(
 				"platformValidationService",
 			);
-			const $projectData = inject<IProjectData>("projectData");
+			const $projectData = inject(ProjectData);
 			const platform = $devicePlatformsConstants[buildPlatform];
 			const isAndroid = $devicePlatformsConstants.isAndroid(platform);
 			// Only the android build checks the runtime version.
 			const $androidBundleValidatorHelper = isAndroid
 				? inject<IAndroidBundleValidatorHelper>("androidBundleValidatorHelper")
 				: null;
-			$projectData.initializeProjectData();
 
 			if (!context.options.force) {
 				await $migrateController.validate({
@@ -112,10 +113,9 @@ const defineBuildCommand = <const TName extends CommandName>(
 				inject<Mobile.IDevicePlatformsConstants>("devicePlatformsConstants");
 			const $logger = inject<ILogger>("logger");
 			const $options = inject<IOptions>("options");
-			const $projectData = inject<IProjectData>("projectData");
+			const $projectData = inject(ProjectData);
 			const platform = $devicePlatformsConstants[buildPlatform];
 			const isAndroid = $devicePlatformsConstants.isAndroid(platform);
-			$projectData.initializeProjectData();
 
 			const buildData = $buildDataService.getBuildData(
 				$projectData.projectDir,

diff --git a/lib/commands/clean.ts b/lib/commands/clean.ts
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@ import {
 	IProjectCleanupResult,
 	IProjectCleanupService,
 	IProjectConfigService,
-	IProjectData,
 	IProjectService,
 } from "../definitions/project";
 import {
 	ITerminalSpinner,
 	ITerminalSpinnerService,
 } from "../definitions/terminal-spinner-service";
+import { ProjectData } from "../contracts/project-data";
 
 function bytesToHumanReadable(bytes: number): string {
 	const units = ["B", "KB", "MB", "GB", "TB"];
@@ -323,7 +323,6 @@ export const cleanCommandDefinition = defineCommand({
 		const $projectConfigService = inject<IProjectConfigService>(
 			"projectConfigService",
 		);
-		const $projectData = inject<IProjectData>("projectData");
 		const $projectService = inject<IProjectService>("projectService");
 		const $terminalSpinnerService = inject<ITerminalSpinnerService>(
 			"terminalSpinnerService",
@@ -340,6 +339,11 @@ export const cleanCommandDefinition = defineCommand({
 			return cleanMultipleProjects(context, spinner);
 		}
 
+		// The project is optional: outside one the command cleans the projects
+		// below, so it is resolved behind the check rather than declared.
+		const $projectData = inject(ProjectData);
+		$projectData.initializeProjectData();
+
 		spinner.start("Cleaning project...\n");
 
 		let pathsToClean = [

diff --git a/lib/commands/command-base.ts b/lib/commands/command-base.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,13 @@ import {
 	CommandOptionsSchema,
 	objectOption,
 } from "../common/define-command";
-import { Injector } from "../common/di";
+import { Injector, inject } from "../common/di";
+import type { Provider } from "../common/di/providers";
+import { ProjectData } from "../contracts/project-data";
+import {
+	COMMAND_PRECONDITIONS,
+	CommandPrecondition,
+} from "../common/contracts/command-preconditions";
 
 /**
  * The CLI-wide signing options `validatePlatformOptions` checks. A command
@@ -31,17 +37,36 @@ type PlatformSigningContext = Pick<
 >;
 
 /**
- * The declarative form of `$platformCommandParameter`. Initializing the
- * project data is what makes the platform check possible, so it stays part of
- * validating the argument instead of moving to the command's own handlers,
- * which the adapter runs only after argument enforcement.
+ * Declares that a command runs inside a project: the project the command line
+ * names, through `--path` or the working directory, is resolved before the
+ * command's setup and arguments policy, and its absence fails the invocation
+ * with the "no project found" error. `inject(ProjectData)` then reads it.
+ */
+export function provideProject(): Provider {
+	return {
+		provide: COMMAND_PRECONDITIONS,
+		multi: true,
+		useValue: requireProject,
+	};
+}
+
+const requireProject: CommandPrecondition = () => {
+	const projectData = inject<IProjectData>("projectData");
+	if (typeof projectData.initializeProjectData === "function") {
+		projectData.initializeProjectData();
+	}
+};
+
+/**
+ * The declarative form of `$platformCommandParameter`. The command declares
+ * `provideProject()`, so resolving the project here is what makes the
+ * platform check possible before the command's own handlers run.
  */
 export function validatePlatformArgument(
 	targetInjector: Injector,
 	platform: string,
 ): void {
-	const projectData = targetInjector.get<IProjectData>("projectData");
-	projectData.initializeProjectData();
+	const projectData = targetInjector.get(ProjectData);
 	targetInjector
 		.get<IPlatformValidationService>("platformValidationService")
 		.validatePlatform(platform, projectData);
@@ -60,7 +85,7 @@ export function validatePlatformOptions(
 	context: PlatformSigningContext,
 	platform: string,
 ): Promise<boolean> {
-	const $projectData = context.injector.get<IProjectData>("projectData");
+	const $projectData = context.injector.get(ProjectData);
 
 	return context.injector
 		.get<IPlatformValidationService>("platformValidationService")
@@ -78,7 +103,7 @@ async function validatePlatformBase(
 	notConfiguredEnvOptions: INotConfiguredEnvOptions,
 ): Promise<IValidatePlatformOutput> {
 	const $options = context.injector.get<IOptions>("options");
-	const $projectData = context.injector.get<IProjectData>("projectData");
+	const $projectData = context.injector.get(ProjectData);
 	const platformData = context.injector
 		.get<IPlatformsDataService>("platformsDataService")
 		.getPlatformData(platform, $projectData);