CUE

---

hof leverages the power of CUE (Configure, Unify, Execute) to define inputs, schemas, and generators. CUE is a language specifically designed for configuration and is an integral component of the hof developer experience.

Two key considerations drove the choice to use CUE:

1. Declarative Code Generation
   hof uses code generators defined in CUE, combining data and templates to generate files. With CUE as the source of truth, we gain consistency for inputs and mappings, allowing composable generators to generate code across languages and technologies. hof allows you to define the declarative schemas to code generators and package them into reusable modules.

2. Purpose-Built for Large-Scale Configuration
   CUE has a strong foundation and robust tooling for managing configuration across multiple files, packages, and modules. CUE’s logical nature ensures that the configuration is both efficient and correct. Since hof’s inputs are typically declarative configurations, CUE is a natural fit throughout the process.

Other benefits of CUE include:

• Configuration-style syntax that is familiar, yet fresh.
• Built on sound principles and rich heritage.
• Declarative and logical, providing confidence in the validity and consistency of the configuration.
• Purpose-built language and tooling for large-scale configuration.
• Dependency management for data, schemas, configuration, and code generation.

For those unfamiliar with CUE, Bitfield Consulting has a great Introduction to CUE from a JSON perspective. It is a quick read and provides an excellent foundation for using CUE with hof.

To further your CUE knowledge, be sure to check out these resources:

• CUE documentation (from the CUE Team)
• Cuetorials (by Hofstadter)