SIP-024: spin deps cli dx by fibonacci1729 · Pull Request #3453 · spinframework/spin

fibonacci1729 · 2026-04-09T17:23:42Z

This SIP proposes a Dx for guiding a user into adding a dependency to a component in a Spin.toml. It builds on #3445 and the implementation #3450.

Signed-off-by: Brian Hardock <brian.hardock@fermyon.com>

itowlson

LGTM. I like the capabilities stuff; in fact I almost wonder if I should be able to run the capabilities stuff outside of doing an add.

itowlson · 2026-04-10T00:00:04Z

+
+Selecting **"All from aws:client@1.0.0"** records `aws:client@1.0.0` as the dependency name (a package-level selector). Selecting a specific interface records that interface (e.g. `aws:client/s3@1.0.0`).
+
+#### Explicit `--export` flag


~~This is not surfaced interactively, right? (I would like it not to be - I just want to check we are on the same page.)~~

oh wait, this is the interface on the left hand side, not the export = option? That coincidence of terminology is going to be a trap

They're equivalent when selecting interfaces. I couldnt think of a better name here that encapsulated packages and interfaces. How do you feel about --use?

Wait once again it seems I am utterly confused about a feature we have been shipping for a gazillion years - I thought export was about remapping interfaces... sigh

I was initially going to suggest --interface, but I now realise that if you want all a package's APIs, you have to tell it the package name if you don't want it to interact. --use seems a bit open-ended but could be an option. We could try --import perhaps? It's not great though. Well maybe it's okay, I originally thought "ugh, importing exports" but well, huh, that is what importers do, so maybe it makes sense?

Or send up the BIKESHED BAT-SIGNAL and let Lann come up with something.

I think import works. We could also keep export for the remapping scenario you mention which is the point of it. All I meant was that if the LHS is an interface, it implies that an export with that name exists with that name so its technically equivalent.

I.e. "a:b/c" = { export = none, ... } is equivalent to "a:b/c" = { export = "a:b/c", ... }

Aha, I think I see what you mean now. Thanks!

We could allow add a mutually exclusive --package/-p, --interface/-i.

Actually never mind, I forgot about plain names.

itowlson · 2026-04-10T00:01:20Z

+
+? Select capabilities to inherit from the parent component
+> All
+  allowed_outbound_hosts


Presumably these will be check boxes rather than a single-select?

itowlson · 2026-04-10T00:04:08Z

+
+- `--inherit true` or `--inherit all` → inherits all capabilities
+- `--inherit false` or `--inherit none` → inherits nothing
+- `--inherit allowed_outbound_hosts,ai_models` → inherits only those capabilities


Or --inherit allowed_outbound_hosts --inherit ai_models, right? (that is, as well as not instead of)

itowlson · 2026-04-10T00:13:23Z

+
+#### Multiple packages — select a package first
+
+If the component exports interfaces from multiple packages, the user first selects a package:


I worry with this that we may be asking a question the user doesn't know how to answer. I want the authentication interface, is that in client or util? If I guess wrong, is there a way back?

Possible alternative approaches:

Show them a list of everything they could import - all the interfaces plus an "everything" for each package.

When they come to interface selection, offer a "The interface I'm looking for isn't here. Take me back to package selection" option

Or maybe this isn't a concern and we have high confidence that users will know what they are looking for and just want to save on ye olde typing, I am not sure.

Good call out. Ill have a tinker and see if i could smooth this out. I think listing everything with all options for each package is the way to go.

itowlson · 2026-04-10T00:14:55Z

+After a package is selected (or if there is only one), the user chooses between all exports from that package or a single specific interface:
+
+```
+? Which export should be used?


Nit: I would avoid saying 'export' here (because I want to import something, where is the choice for that). Consider e.g. "Which interface do you want to import?" or some better wording that avoids the whole import/export debacle altogether (a la "which interface do you want to use" although that's hardly going to set the poetry world alight either)

itowlson · 2026-04-10T00:24:16Z

+| Capability | Example interfaces |
+|---|---|
+| `ai_models` | `fermyon:spin/llm` |
+| `allowed_outbound_hosts` | `wasi:http/outgoing-handler`, `wasi:sockets/tcp`, `fermyon:spin/mqtt` |


wasi:http/client, spin:postgres, fermyon:spin/mysql, spin:mqtt, Redis itfs

itowlson · 2026-04-10T00:25:07Z

+| `files` | `wasi:filesystem/preopens` |
+| `key_value_stores` | `fermyon:spin/key-value` |
+| `sqlite_databases` | `fermyon:spin/sqlite` |
+| `variables` | `fermyon:spin/variables` |


All of these have spin:* forms as of Spin 4 (actually SQLite as of Spin 3.2 I think)

karthik2804 · 2026-04-10T11:41:09Z

+| Form | Example | Description |
+|------|---------|-------------|
+| Local path | `./my-component.wasm` | A path to a Wasm component on disk |
+| HTTP URL | `https://example.com/component.wasm` | A remote Wasm component (requires `--digest`) |
+| Registry reference | `aws:client@1.0.0` | A package from a component registry |


Should we also support adding by component ID? I am imagining a case where we have a component that we already build as part of the manifest that we would like to add as dependency to another.

fibonacci1729 changed the title ~~SIP 025 - spin deps cli dx~~ SIP-024 -- spin deps cli dx Apr 9, 2026

fibonacci1729 force-pushed the spin-deps-cli-dx-sip branch from 2a722ee to a99e8ea Compare April 9, 2026 17:29

fibonacci1729 changed the title ~~SIP-024 -- spin deps cli dx~~ SIP-024: spin deps cli dx Apr 9, 2026

SIP 025 - spin deps cli dx

7708392

Signed-off-by: Brian Hardock <brian.hardock@fermyon.com>

fibonacci1729 force-pushed the spin-deps-cli-dx-sip branch from a99e8ea to 7708392 Compare April 9, 2026 18:02

itowlson reviewed Apr 10, 2026

View reviewed changes

karthik2804 reviewed Apr 10, 2026

View reviewed changes


		Selecting "All from aws:client@1.0.0" records `aws:client@1.0.0` as the dependency name (a package-level selector). Selecting a specific interface records that interface (e.g. `aws:client/s3@1.0.0`).

		#### Explicit `--export` flag


		#### Multiple packages — select a package first

		If the component exports interfaces from multiple packages, the user first selects a package:

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fibonacci1729 commented Apr 9, 2026

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fibonacci1729 Apr 10, 2026 •

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