A Pack/Unpack Command for Vendor Mode to Improve Portability
- Dominant language
- Java
- Stars
- 25.8k
- Forks
- 4.6k
- Avg merge
- 2d 20h
- Merged PRs (30d)
- 72
Description
### Description of the feature request:
Would it be possible to add a new feature to the vendor mode that allows users to:
1. **Pack:** Bundle the entire vendor directory into a single, compressed archive (e.g., a `.zip` or `.tar.gz` file).
2. **Unpack:** Extract a compressed archive to correctly set up the vendor directory with all its dependencies.
**Problem Description & Context:**
I'm proposing this because I'm facing a recurring issue with my current workflow. I frequently get an error message stating that my "resources have expired" or are out of date.
My process is as follows:
1. I download the dependencies on a primary Windows computer.
2. I then transfer the `vendor` directory to a different machine using `rsync`.
3. I'm careful to configure `rsync` to sync the actual file contents, not just shortcuts or symbolic links.
### Which category does this issue belong to?
Core
### What underlying problem are you trying to solve with this feature?
_No response_
### Which operating system are you running Bazel on?
windows
### What is the output of `bazel info release`?
release 8.4.2
### If `bazel info release` returns `development version` or `(@non-git)`, tell us how you built Bazel.
_No response_
### What's the output of `git remote get-url origin; git rev-parse HEAD` ?
```text
```
### Have you found anything relevant by searching the web?
_No response_
### Any other information, logs, or outputs that you want to share?
_No response_
Contributor guide
Research direction
The issue names no files, tests, or entry points; begin by locating Bazel's vendor-mode implementation and command handling. Compare the existing vendor workflow on Windows with archive support, then define pack and unpack behavior. Done means a packed vendor directory can be transferred and unpacked into a usable vendor directory with its dependencies.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- java
- Domain
- build-system
- Issue type
- Feature
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100