Pure Runtime - how to generate manifest.json of remote apps

[GururajChadaga]

Hi all,

I’m exploring the "pure runtime" approach with @module-federation/enhanced/runtime (i.e. not using ModuleFederation build plugin). The docs mention registering remotes in the host via manifest.json files, but I can't find explanation for how these manifests are supposed to be generated in practice(when build plugin is not used for remotes).

I have a couple of questions regarding achieving this in practice:

1. If you don’t use a module federation build plugin in the remote, how is manifest.json supposed to be generated? Is there any official or community-supported tool/script for this?
2. Is pure runtime only intended for host-only with prebuilt remotes, or can remotes themselves be built from pure runtime? If so, how is manifest generation automated there?

Thanks in advance for clarification or pointers to best practices! Love this community and the problems that MF is trying to solve!

[ScriptedAlchemy]

I dont see how its possible to produce a remote in the first place without the federation plugin to create remoteEntry to begin with.

[GururajChadaga]

Understood. Can you please help me understand the purpose, usecase, and end to end flow of pure runtime then?
Is my assumption correct that only the host can run on pure runtime, with capabilities of registering and loading remotes pre-built with the MF Build Plugin?

[ScriptedAlchemy]

The runtime is primarily for consumption and sharing of modules.
Low level, the bundlers implement the pure runtime themselves.
But to produce a remote via the pure runtime, youd need code generation, therefore youd need a compiler plugin of some sort.
Alternatively it is theoretically possible to use the pure runtime with import maps to polyfill the bundler, but itll take another 5 years before the technology is viable