dependencies_skill

Overview

This skill helps evaluate, add, update, or remove pub.dev packages while preserving existing architecture and project conventions. It focuses on validating necessity, assessing package quality, applying correct dependency scope, verifying integration, and documenting decisions. The goal is safe, minimal-risk dependency changes that align with project standards.

How this skill works

The skill inspects the project for capability gaps and verifies whether existing SDK APIs or current dependencies can solve the problem. It evaluates candidate packages for maintenance signals, documentation, compatibility, and overlap with the current stack. It then applies changes with correct pub commands, runs static analysis and targeted tests, and records a brief decision note including rollback criteria.

When to use it

• Adding a package to implement a new feature when SDK or existing deps are insufficient
• Replacing or upgrading a package that no longer fits project needs
• Adding or removing dev tooling (linters, test runners, codegen)
• Investigating and removing unused or risky dependencies
• Applying a time‑boxed override to resolve urgent compatibility issues

Best practices

• Confirm the problem can’t be solved with current SDK or dependencies before adding a package
• Assess maintenance, release cadence, issues, docs, and platform compatibility
• Avoid overlapping functionality with existing state management, DI, logging, or serialization stacks
• Use flutter pub add / dart pub remove and only use overrides sparingly and with an expiry plan
• Run dart analyze and targeted flutter test suites after changes
• Record a short rationale and rollback/removal condition in project docs or PR description

Example use cases

• Add JSON serialization package when current serializers lack required features and compare alternatives
• Introduce a dev tool (formatter/linter plugin) for CI while documenting scope and removal criteria
• Replace an outdated HTTP client with a maintained alternative and remove the old package imports
• Temporarily override a transitive dependency for a critical bugfix with a clear expiration and follow-up plan
• Audit project dependencies to identify dead packages and safely remove them after verification