handle optional dependency `evil` better

[jian-lin]

Currently, installing this package from MELPA triggers an error:

1. cd $(mktemp -d)
2. HOME=$PWD emacs -Q
3. eval this

(progn
  (require 'package)
  (add-to-list 'package-archives '("melpa" . "https://melpa.org/packages/") t)
  (package-install 'ghostel))

4. see an error in the *Compile-Log* buffer

Compiling file /tmp/tmp.Hqb7js9HnK/.emacs.d/elpa/ghostel-20260410.634/ghostel-evil.el at Sat Apr 11 11:24:21 2026
ghostel-evil.el:26:11: Error: Cannot open load file: No such file or directory, evil

One fix mentioned by MELPA is to create a separate MELPA package for ghostel-evil.el.

[dakra]

The evil package is very new. I plan to submit it to melpa.
I'm just still undecided if I want to also submit also the build files to the melpa package or not,
that's why I didn't so far so I don't have to make yet another PR later.
See #42 (comment)

[dakra]

I checked melpa and emacsmirror and see most evil packages start with evil- so I'm thinking of renameing ghostel-evil to evil-ghostel. Obviously have to do that before submitting. What do you thing @jian-lin ?

[jian-lin]

I'm thinking of renameing ghostel-evil to evil-ghostel

LGTM

[dakra]

Just as a heads-up, I renamed ghostel-evil to evil-ghostel.
I added a shim but will remove it very soon, so update your config if you used ghostel-evil until now.

[dakra]

I created a PR to melpa which adds the evil-ghostel package. See melpa/melpa#9949

[dakra]

jFYI, I'll soon land #171 which refactors the directory structure to make more clean and resolve the main poin point of evil-ghostel.el in the same dir as the other ghostel elisp files and also fixes the missing terminfo files on melpa.
If you installed via (use-package :vc ... you probaby have to update your expression.
something like:

(use-package ghostel
  :vc (:url "https://github.com/dakra/ghostel"
       :lisp-dir "lisp"
       :rev :newest))

(use-package evil-ghostel
  :vc (:url "https://github.com/dakra/ghostel"
        :lisp-dir "extensions/evil-ghostel"
        :rev :newest)
  :after (ghostel evil)
  :hook (ghostel-mode . evil-ghostel-mode))

I hope source checkouts are unaffected and I'll update the melpa receipt as well.

Sorry for any inconvenience, but hopefully that's the last time and then we have all packaging problems solved :)