gleam-lang/gleam

`gleam remove` could invalidate the build cache

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#5363 opened on Feb 12, 2026

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 (4 comments) (3 reactions) (0 assignees)Rust (21,417 stars) (960 forks)batch import
help wanted

Description

Hi hello!

When removing a dependency with gleam remove, the build cache is not invalidated, so gleam check (and build and run) will continue to report no compile errors until a file in the project has been edited.

Reproduction:

$ gleam new wibble
$ cd wibble
$ gleam run
# ...
Hello from wibble!
$ gleam remove gleam_stdlib
$ gleam run
Hello from wibble!

I thought a dependency in a library was unused and did something similar tot he above to check if the tests still run without the dependency, only to realise that it's actually required after trying to gleam publish.

~ 💜

Contributor guide

Tech stack
rust
Domain
clitooling
Issue type
bug
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
3
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
half day
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
Basic understanding of Gleam build systemFamiliarity with Rust
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
60
Research direction
Investigate the `gleam remove` command implementation in the Gleam compiler codebase. Look for how the build cache is invalidated after other commands like `gleam add`. Identify where the cache invalidation logic is missing and add it. Check for existing tests related to cache invalidation and ensure new tests cover this scenario. The issue provides a clear reproduction, so replicate it to confirm the bug. Relevant files likely include modules handling dependency management and build cache logic.