Dependencies

Module dependencies define the relationships between Intent Architect modules and ensure that required functionality is available during code generation.

What are Module Dependencies?

Dependencies specify:

Required Modules - Other modules that must be installed
Version Constraints - Minimum and maximum compatible versions
NuGet Packages - .NET packages added to generated projects
Transitive Dependencies - Dependencies of dependencies

Dependencies ensure modules work together correctly and all required code generation capabilities are available.

Declaring Dependencies

Modules declare dependencies in their .imodspec file:

<dependencies>
  <dependency id="Intent.Application.DependencyInjection" version="4.1.8" />
  <dependency id="Intent.Application.DependencyInjection.MediatR" version="3.6.0" />
  <dependency id="Intent.Common" version="3.8.0" />
  <dependency id="Intent.Common.CSharp" version="3.9.4" />
  <dependency id="Intent.Common.Types" version="3.4.0" />
  <dependency id="Intent.Metadata.Security" version="1.0.0" />
  <dependency id="Intent.Metadata.WebApi" version="4.5.5" />
  <dependency id="Intent.Modelers.Domain" version="3.4.4" />
  <dependency id="Intent.Modelers.Services" version="4.0.0" />
  <dependency id="Intent.Modelers.Services.CQRS" version="4.1.1" />
  <dependency id="Intent.OutputManager.RoslynWeaver" version="4.9.10" />
</dependencies>

string

required

The unique identifier of the required module

version

string

required

Minimum version required (can be a version range)

Dependency Categories

Intent Architect modules typically depend on several categories of modules:

Core Modules
Modeler Modules
Pattern Modules
Integration Modules

Common Infrastructure

Intent.Common - Core interfaces and utilities
Intent.Common.CSharp - C# code generation helpers
Intent.Common.Types - Common type definitions
Intent.OutputManager.RoslynWeaver - Code merging engine

Almost every module depends on these core modules.

Metadata Providers

Intent.Modelers.Services - Service designer metadata
Intent.Modelers.Services.CQRS - CQRS pattern metadata
Intent.Modelers.Domain - Domain designer metadata
Intent.Metadata.WebApi - HTTP/REST metadata

These provide the API models for accessing designer metadata.

Architectural Patterns

Intent.Application.DependencyInjection - DI container setup
Intent.Application.MediatR - MediatR CQRS implementation
Intent.EntityFrameworkCore - EF Core data access
Intent.AspNetCore - ASP.NET Core web infrastructure

Pattern modules often have their own dependencies creating a dependency chain.

Technology Integrations

Intent.Eventing.MassTransit - Message bus integration
Intent.AmazonS3.ObjectStorage - Cloud storage
Intent.Redis.Om.Repositories - Redis data access

Integration modules have specific version dependencies on their underlying libraries.

Version Constraints

Version constraints follow semantic versioning:

<!-- Exact version -->
<dependency id="Intent.Common" version="3.8.0" />

<!-- Minimum version (commonly used) -->
<dependency id="Intent.Common.CSharp" version="3.9.4" />

<!-- Version range -->
<dependency id="Intent.AspNetCore" version="[6.0.0, 7.0.0)" />

Version Range Syntax

[1.0.0, 2.0.0]  # 1.0.0 <= version <= 2.0.0

Most modules use minimum version constraints (e.g., version="3.8.0") which means “3.8.0 or higher”.

Real-World Dependency Example

Here’s the complete dependency tree for Intent.AspNetCore.Controllers:

<package>
  <id>Intent.AspNetCore.Controllers</id>
  <version>7.1.8</version>
  
  <dependencies>
    <!-- Core infrastructure -->
    <dependency id="Intent.AspNetCore" version="6.0.8" />
    <dependency id="Intent.Common" version="3.9.0" />
    <dependency id="Intent.Common.CSharp" version="3.9.5" />
    <dependency id="Intent.Common.Types" version="3.4.0" />
    
    <!-- Metadata access -->
    <dependency id="Intent.Metadata.WebApi" version="4.7.1" />
    <dependency id="Intent.Modelers.Services" version="3.8.2" />
    
    <!-- Code weaving -->
    <dependency id="Intent.OutputManager.RoslynWeaver" version="4.5.1" />
  </dependencies>
</package>

This creates a dependency chain:

Intent.AspNetCore.Controllers

Top-level module that generates controller classes

Intent.AspNetCore

Provides ASP.NET Core infrastructure setup (Program.cs, Startup, etc.)

Intent.Common.CSharp

Provides CSharpFile builder API and utilities

Intent.Common

Provides base interfaces and core functionality

Interoperability vs Dependencies

Intent Architect distinguishes between dependencies (required) and interoperability (suggested):

Dependencies (Required)

<dependencies>
  <dependency id="Intent.Application.DependencyInjection" version="4.1.8" />
</dependencies>

Must be installed for the module to work
Intent Architect enforces installation
Provides templates, metadata, or utilities the module needs

Interoperability (Optional)

<interoperability>
  <detect id="Intent.Application.MediatR">
    <install>
      <package id="Intent.AspNetCore.Controllers.Dispatch.MediatR" version="6.1.2" />
    </install>
  </detect>
</interoperability>

Suggested when compatible modules are detected
User can choose to install or skip
Enhances functionality when used together

Use dependencies for required functionality. Use interoperability for optional integrations.

Dependency Resolution

Intent Architect resolves dependencies using these rules:

1. Direct Dependencies First

Modules explicitly listed in <dependencies> are installed first

2. Transitive Dependencies

Dependencies of dependencies are installed automatically

3. Version Satisfaction

If multiple modules depend on the same module with different versions, the highest compatible version is selected

4. Conflict Detection

If version constraints conflict, Intent Architect reports an error

NuGet Dependencies

Modules also manage NuGet package dependencies for generated code:

internal static void Configure(ICSharpFileBuilderTemplate template, CommandModel model)
{
    // Add NuGet package to generated project
    template.AddNugetDependency(NugetPackages.MediatR(template.OutputTarget));
}

Common NuGet packages:

template.AddNugetDependency(NugetPackages.MediatR(outputTarget));
// Adds: MediatR package to .csproj

NuGet dependencies are added to the generated .csproj files, not to the Intent Architect module itself.

Factory Extensions and Dependencies

Factory extensions allow modules to extend other modules’ templates:

[IntentManaged(Mode.Fully, Body = Mode.Merge)]
public class BinaryContentFilterExtension : FactoryExtensionBase
{
    public override string Id => "Intent.AspNetCore.Controllers.BinaryContentFilterExtension";

    protected override void OnBeforeTemplateExecution(IApplication application)
    {
        // Find template from another module
        var templates = application.FindTemplateInstances<ICSharpFileBuilderTemplate>(
            TemplateDependency.OnTemplate("Distribution.SwashbuckleConfiguration"));
        
        foreach (var template in templates)
        {
            // Modify the template's output
            var @class = template.CSharpFile.Classes.First();
            var configBlock = GetConfigureSwaggerOptionsBlock(@class);
            configBlock.AddStatement($"options.OperationFilter<BinaryContentFilter>();");
        }
    }
}

Factory extensions create an implicit dependency on the modules they extend. Document these in your module’s README.

Dependency Best Practices

Minimize Dependencies

Only depend on modules you actually need. Fewer dependencies = simpler installation.

Use Minimum Versions

Specify the lowest version that provides required functionality.

Avoid Exact Versions

Allow patch and minor updates unless you have specific compatibility requirements.

Document Dependencies

Explain why each dependency is needed in your module’s documentation.

Checking Dependencies

Intent Architect provides tools to inspect dependencies:

Module Manager

View all installed modules and their versions in the Intent Architect UI

Dependency Graph

Visualize the dependency tree to understand module relationships

Update Notifications

Intent Architect notifies when module updates are available

Common Dependency Patterns

Application Layer Pattern

<dependencies>
  <!-- Core infrastructure -->
  <dependency id="Intent.Common.CSharp" version="3.9.0" />
  
  <!-- DI container -->
  <dependency id="Intent.Application.DependencyInjection" version="4.1.8" />
  
  <!-- Application pattern (CQRS with MediatR) -->
  <dependency id="Intent.Application.MediatR" version="4.5.0" />
  
  <!-- DTOs -->
  <dependency id="Intent.Application.Dtos" version="4.5.0" />
  
  <!-- Validation -->
  <dependency id="Intent.Application.FluentValidation" version="3.9.0" />
</dependencies>

Infrastructure Layer Pattern

<dependencies>
  <!-- Core infrastructure -->
  <dependency id="Intent.Common.CSharp" version="3.9.0" />
  
  <!-- DI container -->
  <dependency id="Intent.Infrastructure.DependencyInjection" version="4.1.2" />
  
  <!-- Data access -->
  <dependency id="Intent.EntityFrameworkCore" version="5.0.0" />
  
  <!-- Repositories -->
  <dependency id="Intent.Entities.Repositories.Api" version="5.0.4" />
</dependencies>

API Layer Pattern

<dependencies>
  <!-- Core infrastructure -->
  <dependency id="Intent.Common.CSharp" version="3.9.0" />
  
  <!-- ASP.NET Core -->
  <dependency id="Intent.AspNetCore" version="6.0.8" />
  
  <!-- Controllers -->
  <dependency id="Intent.AspNetCore.Controllers" version="7.1.8" />
  
  <!-- OpenAPI -->
  <dependency id="Intent.AspNetCore.Swashbuckle" version="5.1.1" />
  
  <!-- Dispatch to application layer -->
  <dependency id="Intent.AspNetCore.Controllers.Dispatch.MediatR" version="6.1.2" />
</dependencies>

Troubleshooting Dependencies

Version Conflict

Problem: Two modules require incompatible versions of the same dependency.Solution: Update modules to compatible versions, or check if newer versions resolve the conflict.

Missing Dependency

Problem: Module fails to load due to missing dependency.Solution: Install the missing module via the Intent Architect module manager.

Circular Dependencies

Problem: Module A depends on B, which depends on A.Solution: Refactor to extract shared functionality into a third module.

Outdated Dependencies

Problem: Module depends on an old version with known issues.Solution: Update the module’s .imodspec to require a newer version.

Next Steps

Modules

Learn about module structure and packaging

Templates

Understand how templates work together

Metadata

Explore metadata dependencies

Getting Started

Core Concepts

Architecture Patterns

Module Development

Contributing

Dependencies

Dependencies

What are Module Dependencies?

Declaring Dependencies

Dependency Categories

Version Constraints

Version Range Syntax

Real-World Dependency Example

Interoperability vs Dependencies

Dependencies (Required)

Interoperability (Optional)

Dependency Resolution

NuGet Dependencies

Factory Extensions and Dependencies

Dependency Best Practices

Minimize Dependencies

Use Minimum Versions

Avoid Exact Versions

Document Dependencies

Checking Dependencies

Common Dependency Patterns

Application Layer Pattern

Infrastructure Layer Pattern

API Layer Pattern

Troubleshooting Dependencies

Next Steps

Modules

Templates

Metadata

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Getting Started

Core Concepts

Architecture Patterns

Module Development

Contributing

​Dependencies

​What are Module Dependencies?

​Declaring Dependencies

​Dependency Categories

​Version Constraints

​Version Range Syntax

​Real-World Dependency Example

​Interoperability vs Dependencies

​Dependencies (Required)

​Interoperability (Optional)

​Dependency Resolution

​NuGet Dependencies

​Factory Extensions and Dependencies

​Dependency Best Practices

Minimize Dependencies

Use Minimum Versions

Avoid Exact Versions

Document Dependencies

​Checking Dependencies

​Common Dependency Patterns

​Application Layer Pattern

​Infrastructure Layer Pattern

​API Layer Pattern

​Troubleshooting Dependencies

​Next Steps

Modules

Templates

Metadata

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Dependencies

What are Module Dependencies?

Declaring Dependencies

Dependency Categories

Version Constraints

Version Range Syntax

Real-World Dependency Example

Interoperability vs Dependencies

Dependencies (Required)

Interoperability (Optional)

Dependency Resolution

NuGet Dependencies

Factory Extensions and Dependencies

Dependency Best Practices

Checking Dependencies

Common Dependency Patterns

Application Layer Pattern

Infrastructure Layer Pattern

API Layer Pattern

Troubleshooting Dependencies

Next Steps