Distribution

Copy & Own

Unlike traditional npm packages, Buildpad components are distributed as source code. When you add a component, the CLI:

1. Resolves and copies dependencies (lib modules, other components)
2. Fetches the source from the registry
3. Transforms @buildpad/* imports to local paths
4. Copies files to your project directory

Advantages

• Full customization — Components become your application code
• No breaking changes — No upstream updates can break your code
• No external dependencies — No runtime dependency on @buildpad/* packages
• Works offline — After installation, no network access needed
• AI-friendly — Source code is readable by LLMs for understanding and improvement

Registry Schema

The registry.json file defines each component with:

• Name, description, and category
• Source file paths
• Three types of dependencies:
  • dependencies — External npm packages (e.g., @mantine/core, dayjs)
  • internalDependencies — Lib modules (types, services, hooks, utils)
  • registryDependencies — Other Buildpad components

npm Packages

The CLI and MCP are published on npm for easy access: