install --force skips the reinstall when install state looks fresh

[mwolson]

• Repo: https://github.com/mwolson/tmp-aube-issues
• Case: install-force-noop
• aube: 2.8.0 linux-x64 (2026-10-19) (also 2.7.2)

aube install --help describes --force as "Force reinstall, ignoring lockfile/state freshness", but on an install whose node_modules/.aube-state looks fresh it prints Already up to date and does nothing.

The repro installs is-number@7.0.0, deletes node_modules/is-number/index.js, then runs install --force:

pnpm 12.14.0 install --force after deleting is-number/index.js: restored
aube 2.8.0 linux-x64 (2026-10-19) install --force after deleting is-number/index.js: missing (aube 2.8.0 by jdx.dev · ✓ Already up to date (1 package))

PNPM_BIN=/path/to/real/pnpm ./repro.sh

The repro passes --disable-global-virtual-store so the deleted file is only the project's copy. I hit this while relinking checkouts after moving storeDir: --force left each install on its old layout, so the only way to rebuild was aube ci. It also means --force cannot repair a damaged project the way pnpm install --force can.

[jdx]

Thanks for the report, this was a real bug. aube install --force cleared the install state but the linker still treated existing node_modules/.aube entries as up to date, so deleted files were not restored.

Fixed in #1789: --force now re-materializes every linked package (per-project store and global virtual store), so a deleted node_modules/is-number/index.js comes back. With the global virtual store the shared entry is rebuilt and swapped into place.

AI-assisted — Tool: Claude Code; model: anthropic/claude-sonnet-5-5; version: unavailable.

[mwolson]

Retested with aube 2.8.1 linux-x64 (2026-10-20):

• Repo: https://github.com/mwolson/tmp-aube-issues
• Case: install-force-noop

PNPM_BIN=/path/to/real/pnpm ./repro.sh

It now exits 0 with native pnpm 12.14.0 as the control. aube install --force restores the deleted is-number/index.js.

Fix shipped in aube 2.8.1 via #1789. Marking your reply as the answer.