controlling component chaos with nuget and versioning

Controlling

Component Chaos

with NuGet and

Versioningby John Williston Perforce Software

Controlling Component Chaos with NuGet and Versioning

John WillistonPerforce Software


• NuGet overview

• Consuming components

• Producing components

• Gotchas and Q&A

Agenda


NuGet Overview


• YAPM: Yet Another Package Manager

• Packages are zip archives

• Originally .NET, now anything

• Discovery, packages, dependencies, updates

What is NuGet?


• Web site/service describes packages

• NuGet.exe and VisualStudio extension:

– Makes packages from specs

– Pulls packages by ID and version

– Pushes packages to publish

How Does It Work?


Nuget.org web site

NuGet package feed(AtomPub)

NuGet.exe Tool

NuGet Extension

NuGet Diagram


Consuming Components


Main NuGet Web Site


Package Details


Managing Packages in a Solution


• Adds new build targets

• Pulls and unzips packages

• Creates/updates configuration files

• Hooks up dependencies

• Runs installer scripts (if any)

How Does It Work?


• How does NuGet track what I’m using?

• How do others get the same packages?

• Do I need to add it to my build process?

Some Obvious Questions


NuGet Folders and Files


Packages.config Contents


• All packages.config files

• The .nuget folder contents

• Nothing else needs to be versioned

What Do I Version?


• Pulls by semantic version

• Update process prefers latest

• Default strategy updates dependencies too

• Update must be used carefully

Component Versions


• Prefer implicit checkout

• Reconcile before and after

• P4 ignore is your friend

• Be sure to use P4VS

• Isolate big NuGet operations

Perforce Tips


Implicit Checkout Means +Allwrite


• Problems installing/updating

• Mark as edit ahead of time

• Seek masochist support group

But I Prefer Explicit Checkout!


• Clean to catch old references

• Different feeds for different builds

• Automate third-party package audits

• Scripting catches multiple versions

DevOps Considerations


Producing Components


• Privacy requires your own NuGet server

• Organizational shift in thinking

• Good naming conventions early

• Understand semantic versioning

Some Assembly Required


• How do I make my own packages?

• Where do I put them?

• And how do I put them there?

Some Obvious Questions


• The *.nuspec file

– Useful metadata

– Content and layout

– Other package dependencies

• NuGet tool creates package

• Push with a new version number

Building a Package


• Understand semantic versioning

• Develop components in isolation

• Careful interface design and versioning

• Unit test at least every public method

• Document all public symbols

Development Best Practices


• Automate push on release and documentation

• Automate labelling for traceability

• Source/symbol serving is your friend

• Version all the things! (if you wish)

DevOps Considerations


Gotchas and Q&A


• Pre-configure Visual Studio

• Relative paths for source server

• NuGet extension problem with P4VS

• Update versioning strategy

• Soft dependencies can hurt

Common Gotchas


THANK YOU!!!

John Williston, Ph.D

[email protected]

@p4jbw

P4Ideax Forums

controlling component chaos with nuget and versioning

Technology

nuget folders

nuget track

component versions

nuget folder contents

package manager packages

implicit checkout

config files

build process