@uepm/dependency-plugin

Unreal Engine plugin demonstrating dependencies on other NPM-distributed plugins.

Installation

npm install @uepm/dependency-plugin

This will automatically install the required dependency:

• @uepm/example-plugin - The plugin this one depends on

Prerequisites

Your Unreal Engine project must be initialized for UEPM:

npx @uepm/init

What's Included

This plugin demonstrates:

• Plugin dependencies - How to depend on other NPM plugins
• Dependency resolution - Automatic installation of required plugins
• Cross-plugin communication - Using functionality from other plugins
• Proper dependency declaration - Both in package.json and .uplugin

Plugin Dependencies

NPM Dependencies (package.json)

{
  "dependencies": {
    "@uepm/example-plugin": "^1.0.0"
  }
}

Unreal Engine Dependencies (.uplugin)

{
  "Plugins": [
    {
      "Name": "ExamplePlugin",
      "Enabled": true
    }
  ]
}

Plugin Structure

@uepm/dependency-plugin/
├── DependencyPlugin.uplugin  # Plugin descriptor with dependencies
├── package.json              # NPM package with dependencies
├── Source/                   # C++ source code
│   └── DependencyPlugin/
│       ├── Private/
│       │   ├── DependencyPlugin.cpp
│       │   └── DependencyPluginModule.cpp
│       ├── Public/
│       │   ├── DependencyPlugin.h
│       │   └── DependencyPluginModule.h
│       └── DependencyPlugin.Build.cs
└── README.md

Engine Compatibility

• Unreal Engine: 5.0.0 or later (< 6.0.0)
• Platforms: All platforms supported by Unreal Engine
• Dependencies: Requires ExamplePlugin to be available

Usage in Unreal Engine

1. Install the plugin via NPM (dependencies install automatically)
2. Open your project in Unreal Engine
3. Go to Edit > Plugins
4. Find "Dependency Plugin" in the list
5. Enable the plugin (ExamplePlugin will be enabled automatically)
6. Restart the editor when prompted

The plugin will log messages showing the dependency relationship:

LogExamplePlugin: Example Plugin has been loaded!
LogDependencyPlugin: Dependency Plugin has been loaded!
LogDependencyPlugin: Successfully found and using ExamplePlugin functionality

Dependency Management

This plugin shows how UEPM handles plugin dependencies:

1. NPM-level dependencies - Ensures required plugins are downloaded
2. Unreal Engine dependencies - Declares plugin dependencies in .uplugin
3. Build system integration - Links against dependency modules
4. Runtime dependency checking - Verifies dependencies are available

Creating Dependent Plugins

To create your own plugin with dependencies:

1. Add NPM dependency in package.json
2. Declare Unreal dependency in .uplugin file
3. Add module dependency in Build.cs file
4. Include headers from dependency plugin
5. Test dependency resolution during development

Best Practices

• Always specify compatible version ranges for dependencies
• Test with and without dependencies to ensure proper error handling
• Document dependency requirements clearly
• Use semantic versioning for your plugin releases

License

MIT