deps.edn Configuration files

deps.edn is a configuration file using extensible data notation (edn), the language that is used to define the structure of Clojure itself.

Configuration is defined using a hash-map with top-level keys:

  • :deps - library dependencies
  • :paths - directories to search for code and resources (Java classpath)
  • :aliases - to define optional paths, deps and namespaces
  • :mvn/repos - library dependency sources (e.g. Clojars, Maven, Artifactory, etc).

Hint::practicalli/clojure-deps-edn adds common aliases and tools

practicalli/clojure-deps-edn provides aliases for a wide range of tools to support Clojure software development.

Tools are provided via libraries and are only downloaded on first use or if versions of libraries are updated.

Scope of configuration files

~/.clojure/deps.edn is user scope and is available with all the projects a specific developer works with.

project-directory/deps.edn is for project specific configuration, shared by anyone using the project.

The project deps.edn is merged into the ~/.clojure/deps.edn, replacing any keys that are the same with project specific values. The exception is the :paths key, where only the last one found is used (they are not combined).

You can use the -Sverbose option to see all of the actual directory locations.

  1. clojure -Sverbose

Example of a deps.edn configuration.

  1. {
  2.   :paths
  3.   ["src"]
  5.   :deps {
  6.     org.clojure/clojure {:mvn/version "1.10.1"}
  7.   }
  9.   :aliases {
  10.     :test {:extra-paths ["test"]}
  12.     :new
  13.     {:extra-deps {seancorfield/clj-new {:mvn/version "1.0.199"}}
  14.      :main-opts  ["-m" "clj-new.create"]}
  15.   }
  17.   :mvn/repos {
  18.     "central" {:url "https://repo1.maven.org/maven2/"}
  19.     "clojars" {:url "https://repo.clojars.org/"}
  20.   }
  21. }

Hint::Clojure Tools install sets Clojure version

A default version of Clojure is set by the Clojure tools install, enabling the clojure command to know what version of Clojure library to use. This version will be over-ridden by the user or project specific deps.edn configuration files if set.

References