Manual Dependency Management
Manual Dependency Management is a software development practice where developers manually track, install, and update external libraries, packages, or modules without using automated dependency management tools. This involves downloading dependencies directly from source repositories, manually resolving version conflicts, and maintaining dependency lists in documentation or simple files. It requires careful attention to compatibility, security updates, and transitive dependencies.
Developers should understand manual dependency management when working with legacy systems, embedded environments with limited tooling, or when learning fundamental software architecture concepts. It's particularly useful in scenarios where automated tools are unavailable, such as in highly regulated industries with strict compliance requirements, or when building minimalistic applications where dependency bloat must be avoided. This approach provides deep insight into how dependencies actually work and interact within a project.