# bpkg [](https://travis-ci.org/bpkg/bpkg) [](#backers) [](#sponsors)
_JavaScript has npm, Ruby has Gems, Python has pip and now Shell has bpkg!_
`bpkg` is a lightweight bash package manager. It takes care of fetching the shell scripts, installing them appropriately, setting the execution permission and more.
You can install shell scripts globally (on `/usr/local/bin`) or use them on a _per-project basis_ (on `./deps/`), as a lazy-man "copy and paste".
* [Install](#install)
* [0. Dependencies](#0-dependencies)
* [1. Install script](#1-install-script)
* [2. clib](#2-clib)
* [3. Source Code](#3-source-code)
* [Usage](#usage)
* [Installing packages](#installing-packages)
* [Packages With Dependencies](#packages-with-dependencies)
* [Retrieving package info](#retrieving-package-info)
* [Package details](#package-details)
* [bpkg.json](#bpkgjson)
* [name](#name)
* [version (optional)](#version-optional)
* [description](#description)
* [global](#global)
* [install](#install-1)
* [scripts](#scripts)
* [files](#files)
* [dependencies (optional)](#dependencies-optional)
* [Packaging best practices](#packaging-best-practices)
* [Package exports](#package-exports)
* [Sponsors](#sponsors)
* [License](#license)
## Install
You can install `bpkg` from three distinct ways:
### 0. Dependencies
* [curl](http://curl.haxx.se/)
* [coreutils](https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/)
### 1. Install script
Our install script is the simplest way. It takes care of everything for you, placing `bpkg` and related scripts on `/usr/local/bin`.
Paste the following on your shell and you're good to go:
```sh
curl -Lo- "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/bpkg/bpkg/master/setup.sh" | bash
```
### 2. clib
[clib][clib] is a package manager for C projects. If you already have it, installing `bpkg` is a simple matter of:
```sh
clib install bpkg/bpkg
```
### 3. Source Code
To directly install `bpkg` from its source code you have to clone its repository and run the `setup.sh` script:
```sh
git clone https://github.com/bpkg/bpkg.git
cd bpkg
./setup.sh # Will install bpkg in $HOME/.local/bin
sudo ./setup.sh # Will install bpkg in /usr/local/bin.
PREFIX=/my/custom/directory ./setup.sh # Will install bpkg in a custom directory.
```
## Usage
You use `bpkg` by simply sending commands, pretty much like `npm` or `pip`.
### Installing packages
Packages can either be global (on `/usr/local/bin` if installed as root or
`$HOME/.local/bin` otherwize) or local (under `./deps`).
For example, here's a **global install for the current user** of the [term package][term]:
```sh
bpkg install term -g
term
```
And the same package as a **local install**:
```sh
bpkg install term
./deps/term/term.sh
```
After a local install the `term.sh` script is copied as `term` to the `deps/bin` directory, you can add this directory to the `PATH` with
```sh
export PATH=$PATH:/path_to_bkpg/deps/bin
```
As a bonus, you can specify a **specific version**:
```sh
bpkg install jwerle/suggest.sh@0.0.1 -g
```
**Note:** to do that the packages **must be tagged releases** on the repository.
You can also *install packages without a `bpkg.json` (or `package.json`)*.
As long as there is a `Makefile` in the repository it will try to invoke `make install` as long as the `-g` or `--global` flags are set when invoking `bpkg install`.
For example you could install [git-standup](https://github.com/stephenmathieson/git-standup) with an omitted `bpkg.json` (or `package.json`) because of the `Makefile` and the `install` target found in it.
```sh
bpkg install stephenmathieson/git-standup -g
warn: bpkg.json doesn`t exist
warn: package.json doesn`t exist
warn: Trying `make install'...
info: install: `make install'
cp -f git-standup /usr/local/bin
```
### Packages With Dependencies
You can install a packages dependencies with the `bpkg getdeps` command. These will recursively install in `deps/` sub-folders to resolve all dependencies.
_Note: There is no protection against circular dependencies, so be careful!_
### Retrieving package info
After installing a package, you can obtain info from it using `bpkg`.
Supposing you're on the root of a package directory, the following commands show that package metadata:
```sh
# Asking for single information
bpkg package name
"bpkg"
bpkg package version
"0.0.5"
# Dumping all the metadata
bpkg package
["name"] "bpkg"
["version"] "0.0.5"
["description"] "Lightweight bash package manager"
["global"] true
["install"] "make install"
```
## Package details
Here we lay down some info on the structure of a package.
## bpkg.json
Every package must have a file called `bpkg.json` (for backward-compatibility
`package.json` can also be used); it specifies package metadata on the [JSON format][json].
Here's an example of a well-formed `bpkg.json`:
```json
{
"name": "term",
"version": "0.0.1",
"description": "Terminal utility functions",
"scripts": [ "term.sh" ],
"install": "make install"
}
```
All fields are mandatory except when noted.
Here's a detailed explanation on all fields:
### name
The `name` attribute is required as it is used to tell `bpkg` where to put it in the `deps/` directory in you project.
```json
"name": "my-script"
```
### version (optional)
The `version` attribute is not required but can be useful. It should correspond to the version that is associated with the installed package.
```json
"version": "0.0.1"
```
### description
A human readable description of what the package offers for functionality.
```json
"description": "This script makes monkeys jump out of your keyboard"
```
### global
Indicates that the package is only intended to be install as a script. This allows the omission of the `-g` or `--global` flag during installation.
```json
"global": "true"
```
### install
Shell script used to invoke in the install script. This is required if the `global` attribute is set to `true` or if the `-g` or `--global` flags are provided.
```json
"install": "make install"
```
### scripts
This is an array of scripts that will be installed into a project.
```json
"scripts": ["script.sh"]
```
### files
This is an array of files that will be installed into a project.
```json
"files": ["bar.txt", "foo.txt"]
```
### dependencies (optional)
This is a hash of dependencies. The keys are the package names, and the values are the version specifiers. If you want the latest code use `'master'` in the version specifier. Otherwise, use a tagged release identifier. This works the same as `bpkg install`'s package/version specifiers.
```json
"dependencies": {
"term": "0.0.1"
}
```
## Packaging best practices
These are guidelines that we strongly encourage developers to follow.
### Package exports
It's nice to have a bash package that can be used in the terminal and also be invoked as a command line function. To achieve this the exporting of your functionality *should* follow this pattern:
```sh
if [[ ${BASH_SOURCE[0]} != "$0" ]]; then
export -f my_script
else
my_script "${@}"
exit $?
fi
```
This allows a user to `source` your script or invoke as a script.
```sh
# Running as a script
./my_script.sh some args --blah
# Sourcing the script
source my_script.sh
my_script some more args --blah
```
## Sponsors
**bpkg** wouldn't be where it is today without the help of its authors, contributors, and sponsors:
* [@littlstar](https://github.com/littlstar) ([littlstar.com](https://littlstar.com))
* [@spotify](https://github.com/spotify) ([spotify.com](https://spotify.com))
Support this project by becoming a sponsor. Your logo will show up here with a link to your website. [[Become a sponsor](https://opencollective.com/bpkg#sponsor)]
### Contributors
This project exists thanks to all the people who contribute. [[Contribute](CONTRIBUTING.md)].
### Backers
Thank you to all our backers! 🙏 [[Become a backer](https://opencollective.com/bpkg#backer)]
## License
`bpkg` is released under the **MIT license**.
See file `LICENSE` for a more detailed description of its terms.
[clib]: https://github.com/clibs/clib
[term]: https://github.com/bpkg/term
[json]: http://json.org/example