Software dependency
A software dependency is another software component a program needs. Indirectly introduced packages can also affect operation.
Know the components an application requires
A software dependency is a component a program needs to build or run. It may be a library, framework or development tool. The project includes a direct dependency itself; an indirect dependency can arrive through another component.
In a fictional import program, package A is used. It needs package B to read a file. Although the team does not select B directly, a change to it may affect the import.
In npm, a lockfile records the exact package versions and their dependencies and helps reproduce that arrangement. This does not replace checking an update. A library names the component itself; dependency describes the program's relationship to it. Maintenance therefore needs to account for the versions actually included.
Sources
Related terms
- Software libraryA software library provides reusable functions or components. An application uses it to solve a particular subtask.
- FrameworkA framework gives an application a technical structure and shared rules. The tasks it handles depend on the chosen framework.
- Legacy systemAn existing system still in use, with technical and business dependencies accumulated over time.
- Multi-tenancyMulti-tenancy supports separate customer or group scopes in one solution. A tenant is not automatically one person or one database.
- Browser cacheThe browser cache stores suitable HTTP responses for later use. Reuse and revalidation follow the applicable rules.
- Cache invalidationCache invalidation ends reuse of a stored copy under defined rules. The source record remains a separate concern.
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