RequireJS multipleversion dependencies - requirejs

Question

I have a couple of different apps in my application. Some newer with Backbone only and older with Marionette, since Marionette uses Backbone both uses Underscore.
Now I want to update Underscore, 1.6.0 -> 1.8.3.
So I make a legacy underscore in my require.config
paths: {
'underscore': 'vendor/underscore/underscore',
'underscore-1.6.0': 'vendor/underscore-1.6.0/underscore',
'backbone': 'vendor/backbone/backbone',
'backbone-1.1.2': 'vendor/backbone-1.1.2/backbone',
'marionette': 'vendor/marionette/lib/core/amd/backbone.marionette',
'backbone.wreqr': 'vendor/backbone.wreqr/lib/backbone.wreqr',
'backbone.babysitter': 'vendor/backbone.babysitter/lib/backbone.babysitter',
},
shim: {
'underscore-1.6.0': {
exports: 'underscore'
},
'backbone-1.1.2': {
deps: ['underscore-1.6.0'],
exports: 'backbone'
},
'backbone.babysitter': {
deps: ['backbone-1.1.2', 'underscore-1.6.0']
},
'backbone.wreqr': {
deps: ['backbone-1.1.2', 'underscore-1.6.0']
},
'marionette': {
deps: ['backbone-1.1.2']
}
},
Marionette depends on both Wreqr and Babysitter, which in turn depending on underscore 1.6.0 (and Backbone 1.1.2). My solution is to add deps for both of them.
My problem is when im trying to require('marionette'); as both wreqr and babysitter are asking for 'underscore' and 'backbone' they are getting the none-legacy not 'underscore-1.6.0' and 'backbone-1.1.2'.
Can I some how decide which version of underscore and backbone "backbone" and "underscore" Wreqr and Babysitter should use?
Is there any other good way to this?
Thank!
Johan

Answer 1

All the packages you mention are proper AMD modules. For each package that does not have a version number, I checked the sources of the latest version. For versioned names, I checked the specific version in the name. In all cases, they check for the existence of define.amd and call define. Therefore, they are proper AMD modules. Consequently, you cannot use shim with them. The shim configuration is only for modules that are not really AMD modules (do not call define).
Now, the problem is that packages that need Backbone will require backbone and those that need Underscore will require underscore. They do not distinguish by version. You can force them to use specific versions by using the map configuration:
map: {
'backbone-1.1.2': {
underscore: 'underscore-1.6.0'
},
'backbone.babysitter': {
backbone: 'backbone-1.1.2',
underscore: 'underscore-1.6.0'
},
'backbone.wreqr': {
backbone: 'backbone-1.1.2',
underscore: 'underscore-1.6.0'
},
marionette: {
backbone: 'backbone-1.1.2'
}
}
Everywhere in your application if backbone or underscore are required then the modules backbone or underscore are loaded. The map establishes exceptions to this rule. When backbone.babysitter requires backbone then backbone-1.1.2 is loaded instead. When it requires underscore then underscore-1.6.0 is loaded instead. Similarly for the other modules in the map.