[Pkg-javascript-devel] node-webfont (was: Re: Request to join the Debian JavaScript Maintainers group)

[Julian Gilbey]

On Sun, Dec 11, 2022 at 09:38:12PM +0100, Jonas Smedegaard wrote:
> Quoting Julian Gilbey (2022-12-11 21:04:39)
> > > > Maybe create just a node-webfont package with embedded dependencies
> > 
> > That does seem like a sensible idea - I hadn't thought of doing that
> > until I read the wiki (there's a theme here!).  I doubt that most of
> > the packages required by webfont would be needed by other packages.
> 
> Please don't hide embedding dependencies, but install them and provide
> them as virtual packages.
> 
> It is not only a matter of them being concretely needed by other
> packages *now* but also being easily able to locate them if needed
> *later* and for other reasons - e.g. security bugfixes.

Hi Jonas,

https://wiki.debian.org/Javascript/GroupSourcesTutorial explicitly
advises doing this.  I agree with your points, so I'm a little
confused.

I realise, though, that I don't know exactly what you mean by "install
them and provide them as virtual packages"; is it the point made in
"Step 2" on that Wiki page about adding them to d/control as Provides?
If so, then I think what is meant is: we include them all in a single
source and binary package, in this case node-webfont, but that package
should install these embedded node packages in /usr/share/nodejs/ as
normal (and not under /usr/share/nodejs/webfont) and declare Provides:
node-... for all of these dependencies.

Have I understood correctly?

Best wishes,

   Julian