Feature Request: Per-Repository Dependency File Configuration

[AndreaV-Lsi]

Feature Request: Per-Repository Dependency File Configuration

Problem Statement

Currently, when recursive mode is enabled, LsiGitCheckout looks for dependency files in the root directory of each checked-out repository using the same filename as the script's input file. This approach has limitations:

1. Fixed location: Dependency files must be in the repository root
2. Fixed naming: All repositories must use the same dependency filename
3. Organizational constraints: Cannot accommodate different repository structures or naming conventions

Proposed Solution

Add per-repository configuration options to customize dependency file location and naming:

New JSON Fields

{
  "Repository URL": "https://github.com/company/repo.git",
  "Base Path": "repos/repo",
  "Tag": "v1.0.0",
  "Dependency File Path": "config",           // NEW: Optional relative path
  "Dependency File Name": "custom-deps.json"  // NEW: Optional custom filename
}

Field Specifications

• "Dependency File Path" (optional):

  • Relative path within the repository where the dependency file is located
  • If absent, defaults to repository root (current behavior)
  • Examples: "config", "build/scripts", "tools/dependencies"

• "Dependency File Name" (optional):

  • Custom name for the dependency file in this repository
  • If absent, uses the script's input filename (current behavior)
  • Examples: "external-deps.json", "requirements.json", "project-deps.json"

Use Cases

1. Monorepo with Organized Structure

{
  "Repository URL": "https://github.com/company/monorepo.git",
  "Base Path": "repos/monorepo",
  "Tag": "v2.1.0",
  "Dependency File Path": "build/config",
  "Dependency File Name": "external-dependencies.json"
}

• Looks for: repos/monorepo/build/config/external-dependencies.json

2. Legacy Project with Different Conventions

{
  "Repository URL": "https://github.com/company/legacy.git",
  "Base Path": "repos/legacy",
  "Tag": "v1.5.0",
  "Dependency File Path": "scripts",
  "Dependency File Name": "requirements.json"
}

• Looks for: repos/legacy/scripts/requirements.json

3. Mixed Environment

Some repositories use default location, others use custom:

[
  {
    "Repository URL": "https://github.com/company/standard-repo.git",
    "Base Path": "repos/standard",
    "Tag": "v1.0.0"
    // Uses default: repos/standard/dependencies.json
  },
  {
    "Repository URL": "https://github.com/company/custom-repo.git",
    "Base Path": "repos/custom",
    "Tag": "v2.0.0",
    "Dependency File Path": "config",
    "Dependency File Name": "deps.json"
    // Uses custom: repos/custom/config/deps.json
  }
]

Benefits

1. Flexibility: Accommodate different repository organizational structures
2. Backward Compatibility: Existing configurations continue to work unchanged
3. Mixed Environments: Support both standard and custom layouts in the same project
4. Better Organization: Allow teams to organize dependency files according to their standards
5. Legacy Support: Integrate repositories with existing dependency file naming conventions

Implementation Requirements

• Add support for "Dependency File Path" field in JSON parsing
• Add support for "Dependency File Name" field in JSON parsing
• Modify recursive processing to use custom paths when specified
• Add debug logging to show which dependency file path is being used
• Update documentation with examples and field descriptions
• Ensure backward compatibility with existing configurations
• Add unit tests for new functionality

Acceptance Criteria

• When "Dependency File Path" is specified, the script looks in that subdirectory
• When "Dependency File Name" is specified, the script uses that filename
• When neither field is specified, behavior is identical to current implementation
• Both fields can be used independently or together
• Clear debug logging indicates which dependency file path is being used
• Documentation includes examples of all usage patterns
• All existing configurations continue to work without modification