introduce cider-start-server command

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 # Changelog
 
 ## master (unreleased)
+- new command `cider-start-server` which does the same as `cider-jack-in` but without trying to connect to the started nREPL server
+
 
 ## 1.9.0 (2023-10-24)
 
 ### New features
-
 - [#3529](https://github.com/clojure-emacs/cider/issues/3529): CIDER inspector: introduce `cider-inspector-previous-sibling`, `cider-inspector-next-sibling` commands ([doc](https://docs.cider.mx/cider/debugging/inspector.html#usage)).
 - [#3548](https://github.com/clojure-emacs/cider/issues/3548): CIDER inspector: introduce `cider-inspector-tap-current-val` command ([doc](https://docs.cider.mx/cider/debugging/inspector.html#usage)).
 

cider.el

@@ -1326,23 +1326,51 @@ nil."
     map)
   "CIDER jack-in and connect keymap.")
 
+
+(defun cider--do-start-server (params on-port-callback)
+  "Starts an nrepl server and passes the callback to it.
+PARAMS is a plist optionally containing :project-dir and :jack-in-cmd.
+ON-PORT-CALLBACK is a function of one argument (server buffer)
+which is called by the process filter once the port of the connection has
+been determined.  Can be nil."
+  (nrepl-start-server-process
+   (plist-get params :project-dir)
+   (plist-get params :jack-in-cmd)
+   on-port-callback))
+
 ;;;###autoload
 (defun cider-jack-in-clj (params)
   "Start an nREPL server for the current project and connect to it.
 PARAMS is a plist optionally containing :project-dir and :jack-in-cmd.
 With the prefix argument, allow editing of the jack in command; with a
-double prefix prompt for all these parameters."
+double prefix prompt for all these parameters.
+
+See also: `cider-start-server'."
+  (interactive "P")
+  (let ((params (thread-first
+                  params
+                  (cider--update-project-dir)
+                  (cider--check-existing-session)
+                  (cider--update-jack-in-cmd))))
+    (cider--do-start-server params
+                            (lambda (server-buffer)
+                              (cider-connect-sibling-clj params server-buffer)))))
+
+
+(defun cider-start-server (params)
+  "Start an nREPL server for the current project, but don't connect to it.
+PARAMS is a plist optionally containing :project-dir and :jack-in-cmd.
+With the prefix argument, allow editing of the start server in command; with a
+double prefix prompt for all these parameters.
+
+See also: `cider-jack-in-clj'."
   (interactive "P")
   (let ((params (thread-first
                   params
                   (cider--update-project-dir)
                   (cider--check-existing-session)
                   (cider--update-jack-in-cmd))))
-    (nrepl-start-server-process
-     (plist-get params :project-dir)
-     (plist-get params :jack-in-cmd)
-     (lambda (server-buffer)
-       (cider-connect-sibling-clj params server-buffer)))))
+    (cider--do-start-server params nil)))
 
 ;;;###autoload
 (defun cider-jack-in-cljs (params)

doc/modules/ROOT/pages/basics/up_and_running.adoc

@@ -267,6 +267,24 @@ Here is an example Nbb Jack-In command, providing a custom `:jack-in-cmd`.
   (cider-jack-in-clj '(:jack-in-cmd "nbb nrepl-server")))
 ----
 
+==== Starting nREPL server without trying to connect to it ====
+
+In some situations, it might be useful to only start a nREPL server process, without
+connecting to it. This can support complex setups
+for which CIDER cannot reliably detect to which server/port to connect, and
+would therefore fail.
+This assumes that the user will execute a `cider-connect` command manually afterwards,
+specifying host/port.
+
+For this scenario, the `cider-start-server` command is offered, which optionally takes the same
+parameters than `cider-jack-in`.
+
+Sample usage:
+
+[source,lisp]
+----
+M-x cider-start-server
+----
 
 == Connect to a Running nREPL Server