dler

🧬 dler • extend your bun/pnpm/yarn/npm usage

@reliverse/dler (formerly relidler; /ˈdiː.lər/, dealer) is like nextjs, but for libraries and cli tools development. it is both a unified package manager for typescript/javascript projects and a flexible framework for creating, building, and publishing js/ts libraries to npm and jsr.

dler is your package manager’s best friend — it extends bun, deno (🔜), pnpm, yarn, and npm with powerful and modern features.

at its core, dler is a flexible and fully automated bundler that also doubles as an npm/jsr publishing tool. beyond bundling, dler provides a rich codemod toolkit designed for modern typescript/javascript development.

dler-sdk serves also like a terminal component library, its like shadcn but for libraries and cli tools.

features

drop-in unjs/unbuild support with extended capabilities like publishing
automated publishing to npm and jsr with smart workflow orchestration
reliable builds with robust typescript/javascript support and error handling
smart versioning with semantic release and automatic version bumping
zero-config setup — forget about package.json maintenance
built-in bun environment when used as a standalone cli app
performance-optimized using fast build pipelines and aggressive caching
17 built-in commands — see dler commands for everything it can do
path alias resolution — automatically rewrites tsconfig aliases to relative imports
configurable by design — dedicated config files with sane defaults
dual interface — use via cli or import as sdk for programmatic use
clean dist output — strips internal logs and debug code automatically
monorepo support with experimental libs mode for multi-library setups
magic spells — plugin system for custom build logic and extensions
codemod toolkit — powerful code transformation utilities out of the box
full monorepo system with optimized cross-package dependency handling
esp. designed for cli tool creators, project bootstrappers (like rse)
perfect for anyone who wants their package manager to have sweet powers

getting started

before using dler, make sure you have git, node.js, and a supported package manager installed — bun is highly recommended for the best experience.

0. try the playground

💡 tip curious to see dler in action before integrating it into your project? clone the repo and try e.g. bun dler build to build dler using... dler itself!

git clone https://github.com/reliverse/dler.git
cd dler
bun i
bun dler build # runs dler bun ts edition from source (cli entry: npm/dler.ts)

1. install dler

it is recommended to install dler both globally and as a dev dependency:

global install — bun add -g @reliverse/dler — lets you use dler anywhere, like a system-level cli.
dev dependency — bun add -D @reliverse/dler — pins the version per project, so all contributors use the same version.

instead of global install, you can alternatively install dler as a standalone binary: bunx @reliverse/dler

usage depends on how dler is installed:

dler → if installed globally (or as standalone binary)

bun dler → if installed as a dev dependency

2. initialize dler config

first-time dler run initializes config, repeatable runs launches dler interactive menu.

bun dler # if installed locally
dler     # if installed globally

this creates a starter config file: .config/dler.ts

it is recommended to tweak the config to match your project structure
example config: .config/dler.ts →
useful options:
- buildPreExtensions: support additional file types like ["ts", "js", "vue", "tsx", "jsx"]
- buildTemplatesDir: exclude a directory from being built; it will be copied as-is (e.g. src/foo/templates → dist-*/bin/foo/templates)

3. run and enjoy

bun dler [build|pub|--help] # if local
dler [build|pub|--help]     # if global

💡 run dler for an interactive menu, or dler --help for full command list.

4. upgrade your dev tools

keeping your tools fresh is always a good practice.

the command below upgrades not just dler, but also your local setup — including git, node.js, bun, npm, yarn, pnpm, and more.

just run:

bun dler upgrade

⚠️ don’t confuse this with dler update, which upgrades your project dependencies and global packages, not your system tools. 👉 note: both upgrade and update will update dler itself — globally and in your dependencies or devDependencies if run inside a project with a package.json — depends on how dler is installed.

contributors

helper scripts

libs:pack: Creates two templates, cfg and sdk, based on dist-libs directory structure (using dler pack command).
libs:unpack: Creates a project structure using all templates from the cfg and sdk templates (using dler unpack command).
libs:example: Since libs:unpack's serves as a dist-libs mock, then libs:example helps easily test dler's features like resolveAllCrossLibs().

how to build

ts bun binaries

bun dler build binary

rust binaries

cargo build --release # release build is used for publishing
cargo build # debug build is used for development testing

notes

dlerust and dlergo are temporary names for the experimental rust and go binaries, they will be probably changed to dler in the future (or... maybe not 😅)
<src | dist-npm | dist-jsr>/libs/<lib-name>/<files live here> === dist-libs/<lib-name>/<jsr | npm>/bin/<files live here>

todo

special thanks to the project that inspired @reliverse/dler:

unjs/unbuild

support

if dler saves you time and effort, please consider supporting its development: github sponsors;
even a simple star on github shows your love. thank you!