ModuleFast

ModuleFast uses a custom dependency resolution algorithm designed to select the newest available modules that satisfy all criteria.

Key Behaviors:

• Incremental Approach: It evaluates locally installed modules first. If an existing module satisfies the criteria, it is used instead of fetching the newest version from the gallery.
• Override: Use the -Update switch to force ModuleFast to recheck the remote gallery regardless of local state.
• Dependency Tree: It builds a declarative dependency tree using a custom HTTPClient and async tasks to optimize performance via batch queries and HTTP/2.

You can test the latest unstable commit of ModuleFast by running a script that configures an instance of ModuleFast to use preview.pwsh.gallery as the default repository. This script supports all standard ModuleFast methods and parameters, though you can override the default repository using the -Source parameter.

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr 'bit.ly/modulefastmain'))) -UseMain

You can quickly load ModuleFast into your current PowerShell session without using the built-in PowerShellGet package manager. Once loaded, you can use the Install-ModuleFast command or its alias imf.

To avoid breaking changes in CI/CD environments, it is recommended to pin to a specific release instead of using the default bit.ly link which points to the latest version.

# Load and install a module
iwr bit.ly/modulefast | iex
Install-ModuleFast ImportExcel

# Using the alias
imf ImportExcel

To develop ModuleFast, use the provided PowerShell build scripts:

1. Initial Build: Run .\build.ps1. This script installs all necessary prerequisites (using ModuleFast itself) and then compiles and tests the package.
2. Subsequent Builds: After the initial setup, you can use Invoke-Build to start new builds more quickly.

By default, the compiled module is output into the Build directory.

.\build.ps1
# Then use:
Invoke-Build

For CI/CD pipelines (like GitHub Actions), you can load and invoke Install-ModuleFast in a single command. This syntax automatically unloads the module upon completion. Any arguments passed to the script block are passed directly to Install-ModuleFast.

To ensure stability, pin to a specific GitHub release using the -Release parameter.

# Install the latest version in one line
& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr 'bit.ly/modulefast'))) -Specification ImportExcel

# Install a specific version for stability
& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr 'bit.ly/modulefast'))) -Release 'v0.2.0' -Specification ImportExcel

When running in a Continuous Integration (CI) environment, use the -CI switch. This enables two specific behaviors:

1. Lockfile Usage: The command looks for a lockfile at the path specified by -CILockFilePath (defaults to requires.lock.json). If found, it uses this file to evaluate the required module specifications.
2. Lockfile Generation: After a successful installation, the command writes a new lockfile to the -CILockFilePath location, containing the names and exact versions of the installed modules.

Example for CI:

Install-ModuleFast -CI -CILockFilePath "./ci/requires.lock.json"

ModuleFast can automatically resolve and install dependencies by reading specification files.

Supported file formats:

• .ps1 or .psm1 files containing #Requires comments.
• .psd1 Module Manifests with a RequiredModules property.
• .psd1 files in PSDepend format.
• .psd1 files with module/version pairs.
• .json or .jsonc files with module/version pairs or arrays of specification strings.

Usage:

• Use the -Path parameter to specify a file.
• If no arguments are provided, Install-ModuleFast searches the current directory for *.requires.psd1|psm1|json|jsonc files.

ModuleFast provides detailed logging to help understand the module selection and installation process:

• -Verbose: Provides a high-level "what" view of the module selection process.
• -Debug: Provides a detailed "Why" view, explaining the logic behind module selection and installation. This is recommended for troubleshooting issues.

The Install-ModuleFast cmdlet is the primary command for installing PowerShell modules. It supports multiple ways to specify what to install: via direct module specifications, by pointing to a path containing specification files, or by passing existing ModuleFastInfo objects. It can automatically detect specification files in the current directory if no arguments are provided.

# Install specific modules using specification objects
Install-ModuleFast -Specification $mySpecs

# Install modules defined in a specific file or directory
Install-ModuleFast -Path "./modules/"

# Install modules and output the results
Install-ModuleFast -Specification $mySpecs -PassThru