Running pnpm install with --force flag also installs optionalDependencies which don't match OS in use

[mcmxcdev]

pnpm version: 7.28.0

Code to reproduce the issue:

$ pnpm install --force
 WARN  using --force I sure hope you know what you are doing
Scope: all 4 workspace projects
Lockfile is up to date, resolution step is skipped
Packages: +2505
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@swc/core-linux-arm-gnueabihf/1.3.36: 10.8 MB/10.8 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@swc/core-linux-arm64-musl/1.3.36: 13.4 MB/13.4 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@swc/core-linux-arm64-gnu/1.3.36: 13.7 MB/13.7 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@swc/core-darwin-arm64/1.3.36: 12.7 MB/12.7 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@swc/core-darwin-x64/1.3.36: 13.6 MB/13.6 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@swc/core-win32-x64-msvc/1.3.36: 14 MB/14 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@next/swc-linux-arm-gnueabihf/13.1.6: 23.2 MB/23.2 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@swc/core-win32-ia32-msvc/1.3.36: 11.3 MB/11.3 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@next/swc-linux-arm64-musl/13.1.6: 27.1 MB/27.1 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@next/swc-android-arm-eabi/13.1.6: 21.5 MB/21.5 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@next/swc-win32-ia32-msvc/13.1.6: 24 MB/24 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@next/swc-win32-arm64-msvc/13.1.6: 24.6 MB/24.6 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@swc/core-win32-arm64-msvc/1.3.36: 12.2 MB/12.2 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@next/swc-darwin-arm64/13.1.6: 26.4 MB/26.4 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@next/swc-darwin-x64/13.1.6: 27 MB/27 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@next/swc-linux-arm64-gnu/13.1.6: 27.6 MB/27.6 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@next/swc-freebsd-x64/13.1.6: 34.1 MB/34.1 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@next/swc-win32-x64-msvc/13.1.6: 29.6 MB/29.6 MB, done
Downloading registry.npmjs.org/@next/swc-android-arm64/13.1.6: 27 MB/27 MB, done
Progress: resolved 2505, reused 2395, downloaded 95, added 2505, done

Expected behavior:

Usually, only the versions related to Linux are installed for me on a regular install.

Actual behavior:

pnpm downloads all listed optionalDependencies

Additional information:

• node -v prints: v18.14.1
• Windows, macOS, or Linux?: Ubuntu 22.10

[mcmxcdev]

Oh, it seems this is by design: https://pnpm.io/cli/install#--force

[stevenpetryk]

I do think it's maybe worth discussing having a different --force that does everything --force currently does except this.

A common workflow when debugging is to make a tiny tweak in node_modules (not necessarily patching), and it'd be useful to be able to get back to a good state without installing all optional dependencies. For example, a workflow like this:

1. pnpm install
2. Observe some issue with a dependency, throw some logs casually into the dependency's code
3. Solve problem
4. pnpm install --force-without-optionals (or something)

It's cumbersome to make a throwaway patch, and it's breakage-y to install optional deps. Would be great to have a command that is essentially "reset me to a fresh install".

[wtlgo]

4. pnpm install --force-without-optionals

I think pnpm install --force --no-optional would be a very logical way

[vdawg-git]

Maybe not installing optional dependencies would be the default and pnpm install --force --with-optional would also install optional dependencies?

I am not sure why it should install optional dependencies by default, as packages with binaries for other platforms did cause problems for me more than once :D

[sibelius]

does

pnpm install --force --no-optional

works ?

[sibelius]

can we avoid installing optional from other archs ?

[sibelius]

how can I avoid this ?

[stevenpetryk]

This issue is pretty well-defined, and some spinoff follow-ups have come in.

@sibelius what you're asking for is what this issue is asking for. pnpm install --force does install optionals. This issue tracks the request to make it not do that anymore.

[stevenpetryk]

Sorry, meant to edit the title rather than lock!