@stacksjs/launchpad
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Like Homebrew, but faster.
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# launchpad
> A lightweight package manager built on top of pkgx to simplify package installation and management. _Similar to Homebrew, but faster._
## Features
Launchpad offers a streamlined approach to package management with these key features:
- π¦ **[Package Management](https://github.com/stacksjs/launchpad/tree/main/docs/features/package-management.md)** β Install and manage packages efficiently
- π **Package Updates** β Keep packages up-to-date with intelligent version management
- π§ **Auto-updates** β Configure automatic updates
- π **[PATH Integration](https://github.com/stacksjs/launchpad/tree/main/docs/features/path-management.md)** β Automatically ensures installation directories are maintained in your PATH
- π **[Executable Shims](https://github.com/stacksjs/launchpad/tree/main/docs/features/shim-creation.md)** β Create executable shims for packages automatically
- π» **CLI & Library** β Programmatically or manually manage your dependencies using the CLI or library
- πͺ **Cross-platform** β Full support for macOS, Linux, and Windows systems
## Why Launchpad?
Traditional package managers like Homebrew have limitations:
- **Slow installations** β Installing or updating can take minutes
- **Dependency chains** β Updating one package triggers unwanted updates
- **Environment conflicts** β Different projects need different versions
- **PATH management** β Manual PATH configuration is error-prone
- **Platform inconsistency** β Different systems need different approaches
Launchpad solves these by providing:
- **Fast installations** β Leverage pkgx for efficient package management
- **Isolated packages** β Install only what you need without conflicts
- **Automatic PATH management** β Tools are available immediately
- **Consistent interface** β Same commands work everywhere
- **Dev environments** β Project-specific development environment support
[Read more about why we created Launchpad](https://github.com/stacksjs/launchpad/tree/main/docs/why.md)
## Installation
Launchpad is available through multiple package managers:
```bash
# Install with Bun (recommended)
bun add -g @stacksjs/launchpad
# Or with npm
npm install -g @stacksjs/launchpad
# Or with yarn
yarn global add @stacksjs/launchpad
# Or with pnpm
pnpm add -g @stacksjs/launchpad
```
See [Installation Guide](https://github.com/stacksjs/launchpad/tree/main/docs/install.md) for more options.
## Quick Start
### Install packages
```bash
# Install packages
launchpad install node python
# Use the shorthand
launchpad i node@22
```
### Create shims
```bash
# Create shims for executables
launchpad shim node@22 typescript@5.7
# Specify custom path
launchpad shim --path ~/bin node@22
```
### Install pkgx
```bash
# Install pkgx itself
launchpad pkgx
# Force reinstall
launchpad pkgx --force
```
### Install dev package
```bash
# Install the dev package
launchpad dev
# With customization
launchpad dev --path ~/bin
```
### Install Bun
```bash
# Install Bun directly
launchpad bun
# Install specific version
launchpad bun --version 1.2.14
```
### Configure auto-updates
```bash
# Check current auto-update status
launchpad autoupdate
# Enable auto-updates
launchpad autoupdate:enable
# Disable auto-updates
launchpad autoupdate:disable
```
### Update packages
```bash
# Update all packages
launchpad update
# Update specific packages
launchpad update node python
# Update with latest versions (ignore constraints)
launchpad upgrade bun --latest
# Preview what would be updated
launchpad up --dry-run
```
### List installed packages
```bash
# List all installed packages
launchpad list
# or
launchpad ls
```
## Configuration
Launchpad can be configured via a config file (`launchpad.config.ts`, `.launchpadrc`, etc.) or through command-line options.
Example configuration:
```ts
import type { LaunchpadConfig } from '@stacksjs/launchpad'
const config: LaunchpadConfig = {
// Enable verbose logging
verbose: true,
// Installation path for binaries
installationPath: '/usr/local',
// Auto-elevate with sudo when needed
autoSudo: true,
// Retry settings
maxRetries: 3,
timeout: 60000,
// Version handling
symlinkVersions: true,
forceReinstall: false,
// PATH management
shimPath: '~/.local/bin',
autoAddToPath: true,
}
export default config
```
See [Configuration Guide](https://github.com/stacksjs/launchpad/tree/main/docs/config.md) for all options.
## GitHub Action
Launchpad provides a GitHub Action for CI/CD workflows:
```yaml
- name: Install Dependencies
uses: stacksjs/launchpad-installer@v1
with:
packages: node@22 typescript@5.7 bun@1.2.14
```
See [GitHub Action Documentation](https://github.com/stacksjs/launchpad/tree/main/packages/action/README.md) for details.
## Advanced Usage
Explore advanced topics in our documentation:
- [Custom Shims](https://github.com/stacksjs/launchpad/tree/main/docs/advanced/custom-shims.md)
- [Cross-platform Compatibility](https://github.com/stacksjs/launchpad/tree/main/docs/advanced/cross-platform.md)
- [Performance Optimization](https://github.com/stacksjs/launchpad/tree/main/docs/advanced/performance.md)
- [API Reference](https://github.com/stacksjs/launchpad/tree/main/docs/api/reference.md)
## Comparing to Alternatives
### vs Homebrew
- **Speed**: Significantly faster installations
- **Isolation**: Changes to one package don't affect others
- **Less disk space**: Only install what you need
### vs Manual Installation
- **Simplicity**: Single command to install complex tools
- **PATH management**: No need to manually edit shell config files
- **Version control**: Easily install specific versions
- **Consistency**: Same experience across all platforms
## Changelog
Please see our [releases](https://github.com/stackjs/launchpad/releases) page for information on changes.
## Contributing
Please see [CONTRIBUTING](https://github.com/stacksjs/contributing) for details.
## Community
For help or discussion:
- [Discussions on GitHub](https://github.com/stacksjs/launchpad/discussions)
- [Join the Stacks Discord Server](https://discord.gg/stacksjs)
## Postcardware
βSoftware that is free, but hopes for a postcard.β We love receiving postcards from around the world showing where Stacks is being used! We showcase them on our website too.
Our address: Stacks.js, 12665 Village Ln #2306, Playa Vista, CA 90094, United States π
## Credits
- [Max Howell](https://github.com/mxcl) - for creating [pkgx](https://github.com/pkgxdev/pkgx) and [Homebrew](https://github.com/Homebrew/brew)
- [pkgm](https://github.com/pkgxdev/pkgm) & [dev](https://github.com/pkgxdev/dev) - thanks for the inspiration
- [Chris Breuer](https://github.com/chrisbbreuer)
- [All Contributors](https://github.com/stacksjs/launchpad/graphs/contributors)
## Sponsors
We would like to extend our thanks to the following sponsors for funding Stacks development. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please reach out to us.
- [JetBrains](https://www.jetbrains.com/)
- [The Solana Foundation](https://solana.com/)
## License
The MIT License (MIT). Please see [LICENSE](https://github.com/stacksjs/launchpad/blob/main/LICENSE.md) for more information.
Made with π
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