gleam-lang/gleam

`gleam remove` could invalidate the build cache

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#5,363 opened on Feb 12, 2026

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 (4 comments) (3 reactions) (0 assignees)Rust (960 forks)batch import
help wanted

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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

Research direction
Investigate the `gleam remove` command implementation. Determine how the build cache is keyed and ensure that removing a dependency invalidates the cache, for example by updating a manifest hash or deleting cached artifacts. The fix likely involves modifying the cache invalidation logic in the build system.
Tech stack
rust
Domain
clibuild system
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.
1-3 hours
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Clear
Prerequisites
Gleam
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
70