[racket-dev] Should `dynamic-require`d libraries be in package dependencies?

You could guard the `dynamic-require' with a dynamic check for the
existence of what it's requiring. In the specific case of xrepl, the
dynamic check should probably guard command registration so that, e.g.
the macro stepper commands are not available if the macro stepper is not
installed.

That's what Typed Racket does to decide whether to register the
Optimization Coach button in DrRacket.

Vincent



At Tue, 26 Nov 2013 01:55:08 -0500,
Asumu Takikawa wrote:
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> Should dynamically required libraries induce a package dependency?
> 
> Take for example the "xrepl-lib" package. It currently depends on five
> other packages, but I think two of them can be dropped and `raco setup`
> won't complain.
> 
> On the other hand, XREPL may `dynamic-require` the macro stepper (one of
> the dependencies that can be dropped). The same is true for DrRacket
> (not listed as a dependency), but it doesn't make much sense to make the
> XREPL package depend on DrRacket.
> 
> Is there a best practice for these kinds of cases yet?
> 
> Cheers,
> Asumu
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