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Dependency Config

Dependencies are managed in the .codeframe file.

Note

Installed dependencies are always dropped in the libs/external/ directory.

Quick Start for Library Users

If you’re just installing/using a package, focus on:

  • name — the actual dependency name.

    ⚠️ This must match the dependency’s real name and the folder name in which it resides. Do not change it unless you know what you’re doing.

  • libPath — where CodeFrame finds the package (relative to libs/).
  • linkType — how it links: header_only, static, dynamic, or source.
  • libs — the actual library artifact names (if needed, e.g., ["glfw3"]).
  • options — feature flags the package exposes (turn features on/off).
  • version — pin it for reproducible builds.

Everything else is either defaulted or mostly for package authors.

Dependency Properties​

name​

The name of the dependency.
This is not just cosmetic — it must exactly match the dependency’s actual name and the folder name in which it resides. Changing this can break resolution. Only advanced users or package authors should modify it.

libPath​

Path to the dependency’s location, resolved relative to the libs/ directory.

  • Example: "external/glfw" or "vendor/imgui".
  • By default, installed dependencies go into libs/external/.

linkType​

Defines how the dependency links into your project:

  • header_only → header-only library, no linker step required.
  • static → compiled directly into your binary (self-contained, larger binary).
  • dynamic → uses a shared library (.dll, .so, .dylib) at runtime.
  • source → builds directly from source (slower, but safest for ABI compatibility).

libs​

Specifies the actual library artifacts required at link time.

  • Example: ["glfw3"]
  • Required for static and dynamic linking.
  • Artifact names may differ between platforms — check the library’s own docs.

options​

Feature flags provided by the library author.
They make it easy to toggle optional functionality:

"options": {
  "vulkan": true,
  "wayland": false
}

version​

Specifies the version of the dependency.

  • Always pin a version for reproducible builds.
  • Example: "3.5" for GLFW.
  • Avoid leaving it out unless you are actively testing or developing.

type​

The type of dependency changes the way the other properties are used and makes other properties available

  • library → set to library by default if left blank and uses each property like its documented here.
  • env → (Coming Soon)
.codeframe
{
  "dependencies": [
    {
      "name": "codeframe",
      "libPath": "codeframe",
      "type": "library",
      "linkType": "source",
      "outputType": "*",
      "custom": true
    },
    {
      "name": "glfw",
      "libPath": "external/glfw",
      "type": "library",
      "linkType": "static",
      "libs": ["glfw3"],
      "version": "3.5"
    }
  ]
}

To see more examples view Package Manager -> Examples