Dependencies

Install, update, and remove Edge Kit packages with pnpm, check their Worker runtime requirements, and validate dependency changes before deployment.

As the package manager we chose pnpm. Edge Kit is a single package, so you never need workspace filters.

Use .nvmrc for Node, the packageManager field in package.json for pnpm, and pnpm-lock.yaml for the installed dependency set. Run the project's scripts for schema generation, builds, and tests so their tooling stays aligned with your checkout.

Why pnpm?

It is a fast, disk space efficient package manager that uses hard links and symlinks to save one version of a module only ever once on a disk. Of course, you can change it to use Bun, yarn or npm with minimal effort.

Installation

pnpm add <package-name>

For dev-only tooling, add -D:

pnpm add -D <package-name>

Removal

pnpm remove <package-name>

Updates

pnpm update <package-name>

Semantic versioning

When you update a package, pnpm respects the semantic versioning rules defined in package.json. To move to the latest version, use the --latest flag.

Worker compatibility

Edge Kit runs on the Workers runtime with the nodejs_compat flag. Some Node APIs are supported and others are partial implementations or stubs. A virtual filesystem is available at the kit's compatibility date, but it is not durable disk. Check packages that expect native addons, persistent files, or a long-running Node process against runtime troubleshooting and the Workers Node.js compatibility list.

Prefer Web APIs and the bindings already in the project over new libraries.

Release age protection

pnpm-workspace.yaml sets minimumReleaseAgeStrict, so pnpm refuses versions that were published very recently. If an install fails for a brand-new release, wait for it to satisfy the project's release-age policy or choose an eligible release.

Packages with install scripts (like esbuild or workerd) are allow-listed in allowBuilds in pnpm-workspace.yaml. Add new ones there if a dependency needs a build step.

Auto-updates

Edge Kit includes Renovate configuration in .github/renovate.json, matching Core Kit. It automatically opens pull requests to update your dependencies.

Enable the Renovate GitHub app for your repository. For a fork, explicitly select it in the app's repository settings; the hosted app skips forks when you choose "All repositories". Follow the installation guide for setup.

The default configuration schedules updates on the first day of the month, limits Renovate to five open PRs and two new PRs per hour, and enables automerge. Adjust these settings in .github/renovate.json, or set automerge to false if you prefer manual review. See the configuration options.

Update PRs run the normal CI checks. If you use automerge, configure the required checks on your default branch following Renovate's automerge guidance. Preview and test dependency changes in staging before releasing them.

Read the package's migration guide when an update changes its APIs or runtime behavior, then run the relevant unit tests and browser flows. The common commands page lists the lint, build, and generation scripts.

Renovate

renovatebot.com