Fix directories resolve

packages/core/strapi/lib/Strapi.js

@@ -48,14 +48,39 @@ const LIFECYCLES = {
   DESTROY: 'destroy',
 };
 
+/**
+ * Resolve the working directories based on the instance options.
+ *
+ * Behavior:
+ * - `appDir` is the directory where Strapi will write every file (schemas, generated APIs, controllers or services)
+ * - `distDir` is the directory where Strapi will read configurations, schemas and any compiled code
+ *
+ * Default values:
+ * - If `appDir` is `undefined`, it'll be set to `process.cwd()`
+ * - If `distDir` is `undefined`, it'll be set to `appDir`
+ */
+const resolveWorkingDirectories = opts => {
+  const cwd = process.cwd();
+
+  const appDir = opts.appDir ? path.resolve(cwd, opts.appDir) : cwd;
+  const distDir = opts.distDir ? path.resolve(cwd, opts.distDir) : appDir;
+
+  return { app: appDir, dist: distDir };
+};
+
 class Strapi {
   constructor(opts = {}) {
     destroyOnSignal(this);
 
-    const distRootDir = opts.dir ? path.resolve(process.cwd(), opts.dir) : process.cwd();
-    const appConfig = loadConfiguration(distRootDir, opts);
+    const rootDirs = resolveWorkingDirectories(opts);
 
+    // Load the app configuration from the dist directory
+    const appConfig = loadConfiguration(rootDirs.dist, opts);
+
+    // Instanciate the Strapi container
     this.container = createContainer(this);
+
+    // Register every Strapi registry in the container
     this.container.register('config', createConfigProvider(appConfig));
     this.container.register('content-types', contentTypesRegistry(this));
     this.container.register('services', servicesRegistry(this));
@@ -68,18 +93,17 @@ class Strapi {
     this.container.register('apis', apisRegistry(this));
     this.container.register('auth', createAuth(this));
 
-    this.dirs = utils.getDirs(
-      {
-        appDir: process.cwd(),
-        distDir: distRootDir,
-      },
-      { strapi: this }
-    );
+    // Create a mapping of every useful directory (for the app, dist and static directories)
+    this.dirs = utils.getDirs(rootDirs, { strapi: this });
 
+    // Strapi state management variables
     this.isLoaded = false;
     this.reload = this.reload();
+
+    // Instanciate the Koa app & the HTTP server
     this.server = createServer(this);
 
+    // Strapi utils instanciation
     this.fs = createStrapiFs(this);
     this.eventHub = createEventHub();
     this.startupLogger = createStartupLogger(this);
@@ -88,6 +112,8 @@ class Strapi {
     this.telemetry = createTelemetry(this);
 
     createUpdateNotifier(this).notify();
+
+    console.log(JSON.stringify(appConfig, null, 2));
   }
 
   get config() {

packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/builders/admin.js

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ const getEnabledPlugins = require('../../core/loaders/plugins/get-enabled-plugin
 module.exports = async ({ buildDestDir, forceBuild = true, isTSProject, optimization, srcDir }) => {
   const strapiInstance = strapi({
     // TODO check if this is working @convly
-    dir: buildDestDir,
+    distDir: buildDestDir,
     autoReload: true,
     serveAdminPanel: false,
   });

packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/start.js

@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ const strapi = require('../index');
 /**
  * `$ strapi start`
  */
-module.exports = dir => strapi({ dir }).start();
+module.exports = distDir => strapi({ distDir }).start();

packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/watchAdmin.js

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ module.exports = async function({ browser }) {
   const buildDestDir = isTSProject ? path.join(currentDirectory, 'dist') : currentDirectory;
 
   const strapiInstance = strapi({
-    dir: buildDestDir,
+    distDir: buildDestDir,
     autoReload: true,
     serveAdminPanel: false,
   });

packages/core/strapi/lib/core/bootstrap.js

@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ module.exports = async function({ strapi }) {
   }
 
   // ensure public repository exists
-  if (!(await fse.pathExists(strapi.dirs.public))) {
+  if (!(await fse.pathExists(strapi.dirs.static.public))) {
     throw new Error(
-      `The public folder (${strapi.dirs.public}) doesn't exist or is not accessible. Please make sure it exists.`
+      `The public folder (${strapi.dirs.static.public}) doesn't exist or is not accessible. Please make sure it exists.`
     );
   }
 };

packages/core/strapi/lib/utils/get-dirs.js

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 const { join, resolve } = require('path');
 
-const getDirs = ({ appDir, distDir }) => ({
+const getDirs = ({ app: appDir, dist: distDir }, { strapi }) => ({
   dist: {
     root: distDir,
     src: join(distDir, 'src'),

test/helpers/strapi.js

@@ -24,7 +24,10 @@ const createStrapiInstance = async ({
 } = {}) => {
   // read .env file as it could have been updated
   dotenv.config({ path: process.env.ENV_PATH });
-  const options = { dir: TEST_APP_URL };
+  const options = {
+    appDir: TEST_APP_URL,
+    distDir: TEST_APP_URL,
+  };
   const instance = strapi(options);
 
   if (bypassAuth) {