What is the recommended JSON format for Bower packages?

Question

Using the $ bower init , I created bower.json for my package and registered it with Bower, no problem.

By looking at the Github home pages for some of the popular Bower packages, for example. RequireJS and Modernizr , I noticed their repo does not contain a bower.json or component.json . How is this possible?

I also noticed that when I download any Bower package, the package contains a .bower.json file (note the point at the beginning) and this file contains quite a bit more information than what I was asked during $ bower init for my package. For example, below .bower.json from Modernizr:

 { "name": "modernizr", "homepage": "https://github.com/Modernizr/Modernizr", "version": "2.6.2", "_release": "2.6.2", "_resolution": { "type": "version", "tag": "v2.6.2", "commit": "ca45d02757b83367d8455d477e3cbc42dfdee035" }, "_source": "git://github.com/Modernizr/Modernizr.git", "_target": "~2.6.2", "_direct": true } 

When I download a newly created package, it just contains the same information that I originally registered with in git.

Is there a new format for bower.json that I should use? Or did I just miss something during the setup process?

Answer 1

bower.json or component.json not required to install Bower packages. The manifest file provides some useful information, such as dependencies, ignored files, version, etc., but in the end it just downloads Git, comments and puts them somewhere. In the case of Modernizr / Require.js, someone just registered their repositories, and Bower retrieves the tag.

About the .bower.json file: this is generated by Bower itself after installing the package. It contains some more detailed information about the package, for example, about the commit from which the package was received.

TL DR: Keep using bower init , it will do you good!

Answer 2

I am using Yeoman , and below is the contents of my bower.json file. I thought it would help you. (I installed all the latest conversations and grunts)

 { "name": "yowebapp", "version": "0.0.0", "dependencies": { "sass-bootstrap": "~3.0", "requirejs": "~2.1.4", "modernizr": "~2.6.2", "jquery": "~1.9.1", "d3":"~3.3.2", "angular":"1.0.7" }, "devDependencies": {} } 

and I download my dependencies using bower install .