What is dependency locking in software development?

What is dependency locking in software development?

Dependency locking is a technique used to ensure that a software project uses specific versions of its dependencies, preventing unexpected changes.

Why is it important to lock dependencies?

Locking dependencies is crucial to maintain stability and predictability in your project, as it avoids breaking changes from updates.

How do I implement dependency locking in my project?

You can implement dependency locking by using tools like npm with a package-lock.json file or pip with a requirements.txt file.

What are the risks of not locking dependencies?

Not locking dependencies can lead to version conflicts, security vulnerabilities, and unexpected behavior in your application.

Can you give me an example of a dependency lock file?

Sure! For example, a package-lock.json file in a Node.js project lists all dependencies with their exact versions, ensuring consistency.