soft dependencies on core packages

[fmenezes]

Hi there!

My use case basically is I want users of the mongodb-atlas alias to install both mongodb-atlas-cli and mongosh. Ideally, this would be the case by default but optionally users would be able to install them separately.

I see in the Formula Cookbook that we can add 4 types of dependencies build, test, optional and recommended.

I think for the use case I've mentioned flagging mongosh as a recommended dependency of mongodb-atlas-cli would achieve our goal. Unfortunately optional and recommended dependencies are not allowed in core packages.

Is there a way to achieve it in core packages?

[carlocab]

There is not, unfortunately. You can use optional or recommended dependencies if you host your formulae in an external tap.

[fmenezes]

thanks for the quick reply @carlocab

[fmenezes]

@carlocab how about having two packages one with the dependency and one without it? would it be a pattern the core team would accept?

[SMillerDev]

So the tool doesn't work because it'll complain about a missing dependency then?

[fmenezes]

it will work, optional features would be disabled

[fmenezes]

I'll be more specific mongodb-atlas-cli creates/manages the infrastructure but if you use atlas quickstart command it will create your cluster and also call mongosh to connect to it.

If mongosh is not installed it will create the cluster but it will not connect to it. Not to mention the vast majority of commands have no mongosh interaction.

[SMillerDev]

That seems reasonable enough to add as a permanent dependency. Duplicating the formula is really not a solution since maintainability for that would be terrible.

[fmenezes]

thanks for your answer @SMillerDev

[boooczek]

@SMillerDev how would you recommend handling the use case for CI / CD where users will need the mongodb-atlas-cli only as the size of the package with dependency will be much bigger and will impact their pipeline?
What do you think about a package that only contains let’s say a README that depends on mongodb-atlas-cli and mongosh?

[SMillerDev]

Make your own tap where you can define whatever dependencies you want. CI speed is not really a concern for Homebrew.