Dependencies

Hot uses a flexible dependency system that supports local paths, Git repositories, and the Hot package registry.

Dependency Format

Dependencies are declared using the deps setting with a map of package coordinates to dependency specifications:

hot.project.my-app.deps {
  "hot.dev/package-name": "1.0.0"
}

Package Coordinates

Package coordinates use the format org/package-name:

• hot.dev/anthropic - The Anthropic package from Hot Dev
• hot.dev/aws-s3 - AWS S3 bindings
• my-org/my-package - A custom package

Dependency Specifications

Version String (Recommended)

The simplest way to specify a dependency is with a version string:

hot.project.my-app.deps {
  "hot.dev/anthropic": "1.0.0",
  "hot.dev/openai": "2.1.3"
}

This fetches the exact version from the Hot package registry. A version is always required—there is no "latest" resolution.

Note: The hot.dev registry currently hosts official Hot packages. Support for publishing your own packages to pkg.hot.dev is coming soon! In the meantime, you can share packages via Git repositories (see Git Dependencies below).

Specification Object

For more control, use a specification object. The resolver follows this priority:

1. Local path exists → Use local
2. Local path doesn't exist, Git specified → Clone from Git
3. Only Git specified → Clone from Git
4. Empty spec {} → Resolve from default locations

Local Dependencies

Point to a local directory:

hot.project.my-app.deps {
  "hot.dev/my-lib": { "local": "./libs/my-lib" }
}

Git Dependencies

Clone from a Git repository:

hot.project.my-app.deps {
  "hot.dev/stripe": {
    "git": "git@github.com:hot-dev/pkg.git",
    "path": "hot/pkg/stripe",    // Path within the repo
    "tag": "v0.1.0"              // Or use "branch": "main"
  }
}

Local with Git Fallback

The recommended pattern for packages in a monorepo - prefer local during development, fall back to Git for distribution:

hot.project.my-app.deps {
  "hot.dev/aws-core": {
    "local": "../aws-core",
    "git": "git@github.com:hot-dev/pkg.git",
    "path": "hot/pkg/aws-core"
  }
}

This means:

• If ../aws-core exists, use it (great for local development)
• If not, clone from Git (works for published packages)

Default Resolution

An empty spec {} resolves from standard locations:

hot.project.my-app.deps {
  "hot.dev/anthropic": {}
}

Resolution order:

1. $HOT_HOME/pkg/<package-name>
2. ./hot/pkg/<package-name> (development)
3. Executable-relative resources/pkg/<package-name>
4. System install paths (/usr/local/share/hot/pkg/ on macOS)

Transitive Dependencies

Hot automatically resolves transitive dependencies. If you depend on aws-s3, and aws-s3 depends on aws-core, you don't need to declare aws-core yourself.

// You only need to declare aws-s3
hot.project.my-app.deps {
  "hot.dev/aws-s3": { "local": "./hot/pkg/aws-s3" }
}
// aws-core is automatically included via aws-s3's pkg.hot

Project Overrides

Your project-level deps take precedence over transitive deps. This lets you use a local version of a transitive dependency:

hot.project.my-app.deps {
  "hot.dev/aws-s3": { "local": "./hot/pkg/aws-s3" },
  // Override aws-core to use your local modified version
  "hot.dev/aws-core": { "local": "./my-modified-aws-core" }
}

Dependency Specification Fields

When using a specification object, these fields are available:

Examples

Minimal Project (Registry)

hot.project.my-app.src.paths ["./src"]
hot.project.my-app.deps {
  "hot.dev/anthropic": "1.0.0"
}

hot.set.project "my-app"

Local Development

hot.project.my-app.src.paths ["./src"]
hot.project.my-app.deps {
  "hot.dev/anthropic": { "local": "./hot/pkg/anthropic" }
}

hot.set.project "my-app"

Full-Featured Project

// Project settings
hot.set.project "production-api"

// Source and test paths
hot.project.production-api.src.paths ["./src", "./lib"]
hot.project.production-api.test.paths ["./test"]
hot.project.production-api.test.capture true

// Dependencies
hot.project.production-api.deps {
  // Registry packages (recommended for published packages)
  "hot.dev/anthropic": "1.0.0",
  "hot.dev/openai": "2.1.3",

  // Local development packages
  "hot.dev/my-lib": { "local": "./hot/pkg/my-lib" },

  // Git-based package with specific version
  "hot.dev/stripe": {
    "git": "git@github.com:hot-dev/pkg.git",
    "path": "hot/pkg/stripe",
    "tag": "v0.2.0"
  },

  // Custom internal package
  "my-org/internal-utils": {
    "git": "git@github.com:my-org/hot-packages.git",
    "path": "packages/internal-utils",
    "branch": "main"
  }
}