nupm - Nushell package manager

Table of content

• installation
• configuration
• usage
  • install a package
  • update a package
  • define a package
• running a test suite
  • run the tests
• design

⚠️ This project is in an experimentation stage and not intended for serious use! ⚠️

♻️ installation [toc]

Important nupm might use the latest Nushell language features that have not been released in the latest version yet. If that is the case, consider building Nushell from the main branch, or installing the nightly build.

nupm is a module. Download the repository and treat the nupm directory as a module. For example:

• use nupm/
• overlay use nupm/ --prefix

Both of the above commands will make nupm and all its subcommands available in your current scope. overlay use will allow you to overlay hide the nupm overlay when you don't need it.

Note nupm is able to install itself: from outside the root of your local copy of nupm, run

use nupm/nupm
nupm install nupm --force --path

⚙️ configuration [toc]

One can change the location of the Nupm directory with $env.NUPM_HOME, e.g.

# env.nu

$env.NUPM_HOME = ($env.XDG_DATA_HOME | path join "nupm")

Because Nupm will install modules and scripts in {{nupm-home}}/modules/ and {{nupm-home}}/scripts/ respectively, it is a good idea to add these paths to $env.NU_LIB_DIRS and $env.PATH respectively, e.g. if you have $env.NUPM_HOME defined:

# env.nu

$env.NU_LIB_DIRS = [
    ...
    ($env.NUPM_HOME | path join "modules")
]

$env.PATH = (
    $env.PATH
        | split row (char esep)
        | ....
        | prepend ($env.NUPM_HOME | path join "scripts")
        | uniq
)

🚀 usage [toc]

Nupm can install different types of packages, such as modules and scripts. It also provides a mechanism for a custom installation using a build.nu file.

As an illustrative example, the following demonstrates use of a fictional foo module-based package.

install a package [toc]

git clone https://github.com/nushell/foo.git
nupm install foo --path

or

nupm install https://github.com/nushell/foo.git --git

update a package [toc]

Assuming the repository is already cloned, you can update the module package with the following:

do { cd foo; git pull }
nupm install foo --force --path

This usage will likely change once a dedicated nupm update command is added.

define a package [toc]

In order to use a module-based package with Nupm, a directory should be structured similar to the following foo module:

• foo/
  • mod.nu
  • (other scripts and modules)
• nupm.nuon

The nupm.nuon file is a metadata file that describes the package. It should contain the following fields:

{
    name: "foo"
    description: "A package that demonstrates use of Nupm"
    type: "module"
    license: "MIT"
}

Nupm also supports other types of packages. See Project Structure for more details.

🧪 running a test suite [toc]

as it is done in Nupm, one can define tests in a project and run them with the nupm test command:

• create a Nushell package with a nupm.nuon file, let's call this example package package
• create a tests/ directory next to the package/ directory
• tests/ is a regular Nushell directory module, put a mod.nu there and any structure you want
• import definitions from the package with something like

use ../package/foo/bar.nu [baz, brr]

• all the commands defined in the tests/ module and exported will run as tests
• from the root of the repo, run nupm test

run the tests of Nupm [toc]

from the root of Nupm, run

nupm test

you should see something like

Testing package /home/amtoine/documents/repos/github.com/amtoine/nupm
tests install-module ... SUCCESS
tests install-script ... SUCCESS
tests install-custom ... SUCCESS
Ran 3 tests. 3 succeeded, 0 failed.

📝 design of nupm [toc]

please have a look at the design document