Incorrect paths in compilation.fileDependencies

[MikeDevice]

Bug report

What is the current behavior?
The compilation.fileDependencies (at a webpack plugin) contains incorrect paths, such as /, /home, etc. There is no such problem with webpack@4.

If the current behavior is a bug, please provide the steps to reproduce.

1. Create an empty project.
2. Install webpack and webpack-cli:

$ npm install --save-dev webpack webpack-cli

3. Create webpack.config.js with the follow content:

class Plugin {
  apply(compiler) {
    compiler.hooks.emit.tapAsync('Plugin', (compilation, callback) => {
      console.log(Array.from(compilation.fileDependencies));
      callback();
    });
  }
}

module.exports = {
  plugins: [new Plugin()]
};

4. Run build:

$ webpack

5. See the console output. It will be like so:

[
  '<path-to-repo>/package.json',
  '<path-to-repo>/src',
  '<path-to-repo>/src/index.js',
  '<path-to-repo>',
  '/home/<username>',
  '/home',
  '/'
]

Here is a repo that reproduces this issue: https://github.com/MikeDevice/webpack-file-dependencies-issue.

What is the expected behavior?
The expected behavior is what webpack@4 has:

[
  '<path-to-repo>/src/index.js'
]

Other relevant information:
webpack version: 5.4.0
Node.js version: 12.14.0
Operating System: Ubuntu 18.04.5 LTS
Additional tools: webpack-cli: 4.2.0

[webpack-bot]

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• webpack-5
• bug
• critical-bug
• enhancement
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• performance
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• question

[sokra]

/home/<username> could be a symlink which would affect resolving.

[alexander-akait]

Answer above

[MikeDevice]

I'm not sure, I understand you. Okay. Let's see another example. I created a new branch at the example repo (link), where I added @babel/runtime as a dependency.

Now at the build a get follow logs:

[
  '<path-to-repo>/node_modules/@babel/runtime',
  '<path-to-repo>/node_modules/@babel/runtime/package.json',
  '<path-to-repo>/node_modules/@babel/runtime/helpers/decorate.js',
  '<path-to-repo>/node_modules/@babel/runtime/helpers',
  '<path-to-repo>/node_modules/@babel',
  '<path-to-repo>/node_modules',
  // ...
  // other @babel/runtime paths
  // ...
]

When I use webpack@4 I don't get such paths as

  '<path-to-repo>/node_modules/@babel/runtime',
  '<path-to-repo>/node_modules/@babel/runtime/package.json',
  '<path-to-repo>/node_modules/@babel/runtime/helpers',
  '<path-to-repo>/node_modules/@babel',
  '<path-to-repo>/node_modules',

and It seems good, because these paths are not real dependencies.

[alexander-akait]

@MikeDevice what is the problem? It is feature, right now webpack can follow for symlinks

[MikeDevice]

The problem is license-checker-webpack-plugin doesn't work sometimes with webpack@5 and I thought It's been caused because of webpack's "bug", but as you said it's a feature, so now I realise it's a plugin's bug, not webpack.

[alexander-akait]

Yes, please open an issue in license-checker-webpack-plugin, it is feature, also it give more abilities for watching and tracking