feat(cli): Allow configuring IDL JSON location in workspace config

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ The minor version will be incremented upon a breaking change and the patch versi
 - spl: Add pausable mint extension support ([#4092](https://github.com/solana-foundation/anchor/pull/4092)).
 - cli: Resolve the target directory via `cargo metadata` to support target directory overrides ([#3817](https://github.com/solana-foundation/anchor/pull/3817)).
 - spl: Added `token_metadata_remove_key` to support removing keys from token metadata extension ([#3717](https://github.com/solana-foundation/anchor/pull/3717)).
+- cli: Allow configuring IDL JSON location in workspace config ([#4483](https://github.com/solana-foundation/anchor/pull/4483)).
 - lang: Derive `Clone`, `Debug`, `Copy`, and `Default` on generated client / CPI account structs and instruction args where the field types allow it ([#4085](https://github.com/solana-foundation/anchor/pull/4085)).
 - lang: Add `AccountLoader::new_unchecked` for constructing an `AccountLoader` without performing owner or discriminator checks ([#4162](https://github.com/solana-foundation/anchor/pull/4162)).
 

cli/src/config.rs

@@ -608,6 +608,8 @@ pub struct WorkspaceConfig {
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty")]
     pub exclude: Vec<String>,
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "String::is_empty")]
+    pub idls: String,
+    #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "String::is_empty")]
     pub types: String,
 }
 

cli/src/lib.rs

@@ -2132,6 +2132,9 @@ pub fn build(
     };
     fs::create_dir_all(idl_ts_out.as_ref().unwrap())?;
 
+    if !cfg.workspace.idls.is_empty() {
+        fs::create_dir_all(cfg_parent.join(&cfg.workspace.idls))?;
+    };
     if !cfg.workspace.types.is_empty() {
         fs::create_dir_all(cfg_parent.join(&cfg.workspace.types))?;
     };
@@ -2450,6 +2453,9 @@ fn build_cwd_verifiable(
     fs::create_dir_all(target_dir.join("verifiable"))?;
     fs::create_dir_all(target_dir.join("idl"))?;
     fs::create_dir_all(target_dir.join("types"))?;
+    if !&cfg.workspace.idls.is_empty() {
+        fs::create_dir_all(workspace_dir.join(&cfg.workspace.idls))?;
+    }
     if !&cfg.workspace.types.is_empty() {
         fs::create_dir_all(workspace_dir.join(&cfg.workspace.types))?;
     }
@@ -2485,6 +2491,18 @@ fn build_cwd_verifiable(
                 .with_extension("json");
             write_idl(&idl, OutFile::File(out_file.clone()))?;
 
+            if !&cfg.workspace.idls.is_empty() {
+                write_idl(
+                    &idl,
+                    OutFile::File(
+                        workspace_dir
+                            .join(&cfg.workspace.idls)
+                            .join(&idl.metadata.name)
+                            .with_extension("json"),
+                    ),
+                )?;
+            }
+
             // Write out the TypeScript type.
             println!("Writing the .ts file");
             let ts_file = target_dir
@@ -2772,6 +2790,7 @@ fn _build_rust_cwd(
     // Generate IDL
     if !no_idl {
         let idl = generate_idl(cfg, skip_lint, no_docs, &cargo_args)?;
+        let cfg_parent = cfg.path().parent().expect("Invalid Anchor.toml");
 
         // JSON out path.
         let out = match idl_out {
@@ -2790,11 +2809,21 @@ fn _build_rust_cwd(
 
         // Write out the JSON file.
         write_idl(&idl, OutFile::File(out.clone()))?;
+        if !&cfg.workspace.idls.is_empty() {
+            write_idl(
+                &idl,
+                OutFile::File(
+                    cfg_parent
+                        .join(&cfg.workspace.idls)
+                        .join(&idl.metadata.name)
+                        .with_extension("json"),
+                ),
+            )?;
+        }
         // Write out the TypeScript type.
         fs::write(&ts_out, idl_ts(&idl)?)?;
 
         // Copy out the TypeScript type.
-        let cfg_parent = cfg.path().parent().expect("Invalid Anchor.toml");
         if !&cfg.workspace.types.is_empty() {
             fs::copy(
                 &ts_out,

docs/content/docs/references/anchor-toml.mdx

@@ -54,18 +54,32 @@
 
 ## workspace
 
+### idls
+
+Adds a directory where you want the `<program_name>.json` file to be copied when running
+`anchor build`. This is helpful when you want the generated IDL JSON outside the
+workspace `target` directory, such as for versioning or consumption by another
+tool.
+
+Example:
+
+```toml
+[workspace]
+idls = "app/src/idls/"
+```
+
 ### types
 
-Adds a directory where you want the `<idl>.ts` file to be copied when running
-`anchor build`. This is helpful when you want to keep this file in version
+Adds a directory where you want the `<program_name>.ts` file to be copied when running
+`anchor build`. This is helpful when you want to keep IDL type definitions in version
 control, like when using it on the frontend, which will probably not have access
 to the `target` directory generated by anchor.
 
 Example:
 
 ```toml
 [workspace]
-types = "app/src/idl/"
+types = "app/src/idls/"
 ```
 
 ### members
@@ -101,8 +115,8 @@
 
 ## clients
 
 Configures Codama client generation. When `auto = true`, `anchor build`
 converts emitted Anchor IDLs into Codama IDLs and invokes the selected language
 renderers after the build completes.
 
 Each language can be enabled with a boolean or a table. If `path` is omitted,
@@ -249,7 +263,7 @@
 Configuration for the [Surfpool](https://github.com/solana-foundation/surfpool) validator,
 which is the default local validator used by `anchor test`. Surfpool provides a
 lightweight Solana simulator with features like automatic account cloning and
 runbook execution. All fields are optional and have sensible defaults.
 
 Example:
 
@@ -264,7 +278,7 @@
 datasource_rpc_url = "https://api.mainnet.solana.com" # RPC URL to use as the data source when online mode is enabled.
 airdrop_addresses = ["addr1...", "addr2..."]               # Addresses to airdrop SOL to at startup.
 manifest_file_path = "./Cargo.toml"                       # Path to the Cargo.toml manifest file.
 runbooks = ["./runbooks/setup.json"]                       # Paths to runbook files to execute on startup.
 slot_time = 400                                            # Simulated slot time in milliseconds.
 log_level = "info"                                         # Log level for Surfpool. Default: "none".
 block_production_mode = "clock"                            # Block production mode. Default: "transaction".
@@ -273,7 +287,7 @@
 ### startup_wait
 
 Time in milliseconds to wait for Surfpool to start up. This is useful when
 loading many accounts or running runbooks at startup. Default: `5000`.
 
 ### shutdown_wait
 
@@ -332,9 +346,9 @@
 Path to the `Cargo.toml` manifest file for the workspace. Typically not needed
 since Anchor resolves this automatically.
 
 ### runbooks
 
 A list of file paths to runbooks that Surfpool will execute on startup. Runbooks
 allow you to set up initial state (deploy programs, create accounts, etc.)
 before tests run.
 

tests/idl/.gitignore

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+workspace-idls
+workspace-types

tests/idl/Anchor.toml

@@ -14,5 +14,9 @@ numbers_123 = { address = "Numbers111111111111111111111111111111111111", idl = "
 cluster = "localnet"
 wallet = "~/.config/solana/id.json"
 
+[workspace]
+idls = "workspace-idls"
+types = "workspace-types"
+
 [scripts]
 test = "yarn run ts-mocha -p ./tsconfig.json -t 1000000 tests/**/*.ts"

tests/idl/test.sh

@@ -17,6 +17,18 @@ popd
 # Run anchor test
 anchor test --skip-lint
 
+# Verify workspace.idl copies the generated JSON files out of `target/idl`.
+for idl in target/idl/*.json; do
+    filename=$(basename "$idl")
+    diff -u "$idl" "workspace-idls/$filename"
+done
+
+# Verify workspace.types copies the generated TypeScript files out of `target/types`.
+for types in target/types/*.ts; do
+    filename=$(basename "$types")
+    diff -u "$types" "workspace-types/$filename"
+done
+
 # Generate IDLs
 ./generate.sh $tmp_dir