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wheels deps

Manage application dependencies using box.json.

Synopsis

wheels deps <action> [name] [options]

Description

The wheels deps command provides a streamlined interface for managing your Wheels application's dependencies through box.json. It integrates with CommandBox's package management system while providing Wheels-specific conveniences.

Arguments

Argument
Description
Default

action

Required - Action to perform: list, install, update, remove, report

None

name

Package name (required for install/update/remove actions)

None

version

Specific version to install (optional, for install action only)

Latest version

Options

Option
Description
Default

--dev

Install as development dependency (install action only)

false

Actions

List

Display all dependencies from box.json with their installation status.

wheels deps list

Output shows:

  • Package name

  • Version specification

  • Type (Production/Development)

  • Installation status

Example output:

Dependencies:
  cbvalidation @ ^4.6.0+28 (Production) - Not Installed
  wirebox @ ^7.4.2+24 (Production) - Not Installed
  shortcodes @ ^0.0.4 (Production) - Not Installed

Dev Dependencies:
  testbox @ ^6.4.0+17 (Development) - Installed

Install

Install a new dependency and add it to box.json.

wheels deps install <name>
wheels deps install <name> <version>
wheels deps install <name> --dev

Examples:

# Install latest version as production dependency
wheels deps install cbvalidation

# Install specific version
wheels deps install cbvalidation 3.0.0

# Install as development dependency (saves to devDependencies)
wheels deps install testbox --dev

Important: The --dev flag uses CommandBox's --saveDev flag internally, ensuring packages are correctly saved to the devDependencies section of box.json.

Update

Update an existing dependency to the latest version allowed by its version specification.

wheels deps update <name>

Example:

wheels deps update wirebox

The command will:

  • Check if the dependency exists in box.json

  • Determine if it's a production or dev dependency

  • Update to the latest compatible version

  • Show version change information

Remove

Remove a dependency from both box.json and the file system.

wheels deps remove <name>

Example:

wheels deps remove oldpackage

Note: Remove action will ask for confirmation before proceeding.

Report

Generate a comprehensive dependency report with outdated package check.

wheels deps report

The report includes:

  • Project information (name, version)

  • Wheels version

  • CFML engine details

  • All dependencies with installation status

  • Development dependencies

  • Installed modules information

  • Outdated package check

  • Export to JSON file

Example output:

Dependency Report:

Generated: 2025-09-19 11:38:44
Wheels Version: 3.0.0-SNAPSHOT
CFML Engine: Lucee 5.4.6.9

Dependencies:
  cbvalidation @ ^4.6.0+28 - Installed: No
  shortcodes @ ^0.0.4 - Installed: No
  wirebox @ ^7.4.2+24 - Installed: No

Dev Dependencies:
  testbox @ ^6.4.0+17 - Installed: Yes

Checking for outdated packages...
┌────────────────┬───────────┬──────────┬──────────┬─────────────────────┐
│ Package        │ Installed │ Update   │ Latest   │ Location            │
├────────────────┼───────────┼──────────┼──────────┼─────────────────────┤
│ testbox@^6.4.. │ 6.4.0+17  │ 6.4.0+17 │ 6.4.0+17 │ /testbox            │
└────────────────┴───────────┴──────────┴──────────┴─────────────────────┘

There are no outdated dependencies!

Full report exported to: dependency-report-20250919-113851.json

Integration with CommandBox

The wheels deps commands delegate to CommandBox's package management system:

  • install uses box install with --saveDev flag for dev dependencies

  • update uses box update

  • remove uses box uninstall

  • report uses box outdated

This ensures compatibility with the broader CFML package ecosystem.

Working with box.json

The command manages two dependency sections in box.json:

Production Dependencies

{
  "dependencies": {
    "wheels-core": "^3.0.0",
    "wirebox": "^7"
  }
}

Development Dependencies

{
  "devDependencies": {
    "testbox": "^6",
    "commandbox-cfformat": "*"
  }
}

Installation Status

The command checks for installed packages using the installPaths defined in box.json to determine actual installation locations. This ensures accurate detection regardless of where packages are installed:

Detection Method:

  1. Primary: Checks the exact path specified in box.json → installPaths

  2. Fallback: Checks standard locations like /modules directory

Supported Package Formats:

Example Install Paths:

"installPaths": {
    "testbox": "testbox/",
    "wirebox": "wirebox/",
    "cbvalidation": "modules/cbvalidation/",
    "shortcodes": "plugins/Shortcodes/"
}

The installation status reflects the physical presence of packages on the filesystem, not just their listing in box.json dependencies.

Error Handling

Common scenarios:

  • No box.json: Prompts to run box init

  • Package not found: Shows available dependencies

  • Update failures: Shows current and attempted versions

  • Network issues: Displays CommandBox error messages

Best Practices

  1. Initialize First: Run box init before managing dependencies

  2. Use Version Constraints: Specify version ranges for stability

  3. Separate Dev Dependencies: Use --dev for test/build tools

  4. Regular Updates: Run wheels deps report to check for outdated packages

  5. Commit box.json: Always version control your dependency specifications

Notes

  • Dependencies are installed to the /modules directory

  • The command respects CommandBox's dependency resolution

  • Version specifications follow npm-style semver patterns

  • Dev dependencies are not installed in production environments

See Also

Previouswheels reloadNextwheels destroy

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