Agent Skills: Install Dependencies

Install Dependencies

Philosophy

Core Principle: Let package managers resolve versions, then pin the exact version they resolved to in the dependency file. This gives you fully reproducible builds.

Why This Approach

1. Package managers are smarter: Modern package managers (uv, npm, cargo) resolve compatible versions automatically
2. Pinning after resolution: Recording the exact resolved version ensures builds are reproducible even without a lock file
3. Explicit updates: Dependencies only change when you actively choose to update them
4. No surprises: A fresh install always gets exactly what was tested

Universal Rules

✅ DO:

• Add the dependency name without a version to the dependency file
• Run the package manager to resolve and install
• Read the resolved version from the install output or lock file
• Update the dependency file to pin the exact resolved version
• Keep dependencies in alphabetical order
• Commit both the dependency file and the lock file

❌ DON'T:

• Guess version numbers before running the resolver
• Use loose ranges (>=, ~=, ^) — pin exactly what was resolved
• Skip the resolution step and manually look up versions

Workflow

1. Add dependency name (no version) to the dependency file
2. Run the package manager to resolve and install
3. Read the resolved version from the install output
4. Update the dependency file with the exact resolved version
5. Verify: Run the package manager again to confirm everything is consistent
6. Commit: Both the dependency file and the lock file

Language-Specific Details

For language-specific syntax and examples:

• Python: See PYTHON.md
• TypeScript/JavaScript: See TYPESCRIPT.md
• Rust: See RUST.md