Chapter 9. The package system
This chapter covers
- Finding and adding core and community packages
- Integrating npm packages
- Writing, testing, and publishing custom packages
One of the most powerful aspects of Meteor is its active ecosystem of packages. Throughout this book we’ve taken advantage of packages to extend applications’ functionality without having to write more than a few lines of code (for example, using twbs:bootstrap or iron:router) or to remove unwanted features (for example, using autopublish and insecure). This chapter takes a closer look at what types of packages can be used by Meteor and how they work together.
The more parts are involved in a system, the more complicated it can be to take into account all dependencies. When you’re using a third-party library, it’s important to work against a known set of API calls. In the worst case, libraries change their API between versions, which results in updates to small parts and breaks the entire functionality of an app. Package managers can be used to identify dependencies between the various parts that an application comprises. Their job also includes keeping possible incompatibilities to a minimum so that changing any part won’t result in a hopelessly broken chunk of code.
When you’re finished with this chapter, you’ll be able to use existing packages and create your own, which allows you to structure your Meteor applications in even more efficient ways.