Dev Package

Launchpad provides a dedicated command for installing and managing the dev package, which is a powerful tool for development environment management.

What is the Dev Package?

The dev package is a developer-focused tool that allows you to:

• Create project-specific development environments
• Activate tools and dependencies only when needed
• Maintain consistent environments across projects

You can learn more about the dev package at https://github.com/pkgxdev/dev.

Installing Dev

Installing the dev package is as simple as:

launchpad dev

This command:

1. Checks if pkgx is installed (and installs it if needed)
2. Creates a shim for the dev command
3. Adds the shim directory to your PATH (if configured to do so)

Installation Location

By default, the dev shim is installed to:

• /usr/local/bin if it's writable by the current user
• ~/.local/bin as a fallback location

You can specify a different installation location:

launchpad dev --path ~/bin

Force Reinstallation

To reinstall the dev package even if it's already installed:

launchpad dev --force

PATH Management

For the dev shim to work, its directory must be in your PATH. Launchpad can automatically add the shim directory to your PATH:

# Launchpad will add the shim directory to your PATH (default behavior)
launchpad dev

If you don't want automatic PATH modifications:

launchpad dev --no-auto-path

How Dev Works

The dev command leverages pkgx to create isolated, project-specific environments. When you run:

dev .

In a project directory, it:

1. Looks for a package.json, dev.json, or other configuration files
2. Sets up the proper environment with all required tools
3. Activates the environment for your current shell

Implementation Details

When you install the dev package with Launchpad, it creates a simple shim script:

#!/bin/sh
exec pkgx -q dev "$@"

This shim tells your system to execute pkgx -q dev with any arguments you provide when you run the dev command.

Benefits Over Direct Installation

Installing the dev package through Launchpad offers several advantages:

1. Simplified Installation: No need to manually install pkgx first
2. PATH Management: Automatic PATH updates for easier access
3. Cross-platform Support: Works on macOS, Linux, and Windows
4. Consistent Interface: Same command structure as other Launchpad commands

Using Dev After Installation

After installing the dev package, you can use it to activate development environments:

# Navigate to your project
cd your-project

# Activate the development environment
dev .

# Run project commands
npm run dev

Verifying Installation

You can verify that the dev package is correctly installed:

dev --version

This should display the version of the dev package that's installed.