# What Are the Runtime Dependencies for Garden Skills? A Complete Package Analysis

> Understand Garden Skills runtime dependencies. Discover how libraries are distributed across skill packages and demo apps for efficient production builds.

- Repository: [ConardLi/garden-skills](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills)
- Tags: deep-dive
- Published: 2026-09-01

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**Garden Skills does not declare runtime dependencies at the repository root; instead, production libraries are distributed across individual skill packages and demo applications.**

Garden Skills is a modular monorepo architecture that ships independent "skills" as self-contained packages alongside demonstration websites. Unlike traditional single-package repositories, the runtime dependencies for Garden Skills are fragmented across multiple component-level manifests rather than centralized in a root [`package.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/package.json).

## How the Monorepo Structures Runtime Dependencies

The repository root contains only development tooling and workspace orchestration. According to the Garden Skills source code, the top-level [`package.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/package.json) manages build scripts, linting workflows, and workspace configuration, but it explicitly excludes any `dependencies` field for production use. This design pattern ensures that runtime requirements remain encapsulated within the specific skill scaffolds and demo applications that actually consume them.

## Runtime Dependencies by Component

### Web-Design-Website Demo

Located in [`website/web-design-website/package.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/website/web-design-website/package.json), this demonstration application requires:

- `react` at version `^19.2.5`
- `react-dom` at version `^19.2.5`

These dependencies support the React 19-based entry point that renders the visual design showcase interface.

### Beautiful-Article Scaffold Template

The scaffold template defined in [`skills/beautiful-article/assets/scaffold-template/package.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/skills/beautiful-article/assets/scaffold-template/package.json) declares:

- `react` at version `^18.3.1`
- `react-dom` at version `^18.3.1`
- `reacticle` at version `latest`

The `reacticle` library provides animated article UI components specific to this skill's generated output.

### Zero-Dependency Core Skills

Several skills operate without external npm runtime dependencies, relying instead on built-in platform APIs:

- **GPT-Image-2**: As defined in [`skills/gpt-image-2/manifest.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/skills/gpt-image-2/manifest.json), this skill executes pure JavaScript without external libraries, relying solely on host runtime network capabilities.
- **KB-Retriever**: The manifest at [`skills/kb-retriever/manifest.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/skills/kb-retriever/manifest.json) confirms this skill uses native Node.js APIs for file system and PDF handling operations.
- **Web-Video-Presentation**: According to [`skills/web-video-presentation/manifest.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/skills/web-video-presentation/manifest.json), the core skill logic runs without runtime dependencies, though generated project scaffolds may separately install Vite and React during instantiation.

## Source Files Defining Runtime Requirements

The following manifests collectively define the complete runtime dependency graph for the Garden Skills ecosystem:

- [`website/web-design-website/package.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/website/web-design-website/package.json) — Declares React 19 for the demo interface
- [`skills/beautiful-article/assets/scaffold-template/package.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/skills/beautiful-article/assets/scaffold-template/package.json) — Lists React 18 and reacticle for article scaffolding
- [`skills/gpt-image-2/manifest.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/skills/gpt-image-2/manifest.json) — Confirms zero external runtime libraries
- [`skills/web-video-presentation/manifest.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/skills/web-video-presentation/manifest.json) — Indicates core skill operates without npm dependencies
- [`skills/kb-retriever/manifest.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/skills/kb-retriever/manifest.json) — Verifies native Node.js-only operation

## Implementation Examples

The Web-Design-Website demo initializes React 19 through a standard client-side mounting pattern:

```javascript
// website/web-design-website/src/main.jsx
import React from 'react';
import ReactDOM from 'react-dom/client';
import App from './App.jsx';

ReactDOM.createRoot(document.getElementById('root')).render(
  <React.StrictMode>
    <App />
  </React.StrictMode>
);

```

The Beautiful-Article scaffold imports the `reacticle` animation library alongside React:

```javascript
// skills/beautiful-article/assets/scaffold-template/src/index.jsx
import React from 'react';
import ReactDOM from 'react-dom/client';
import { Reacticle } from 'reacticle';
import Article from './Article.jsx';

ReactDOM.createRoot(document.getElementById('root')).render(
  <Reacticle>
    <Article />
  </Reacticle>
);

```

## Summary

- Garden Skills follows a distributed dependency model where runtime libraries are declared at the individual skill level, not the repository root.
- Only two components require external runtime dependencies: the Web-Design-Website demo (React 19.2.5) and the Beautiful-Article scaffold (React 18.3.1 plus reacticle).
- Three core skills—GPT-Image-2, KB-Retriever, and Web-Video-Presentation—operate without npm runtime dependencies using native JavaScript and Node.js APIs.
- All runtime versions and library requirements are explicitly pinned in component-specific [`package.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/package.json) files rather than a central manifest.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Does the top-level Garden Skills package.json declare any runtime dependencies?

No. The root [`package.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/package.json) contains only development scripts and workspace configuration. It specifically omits a `dependencies` field, meaning zero runtime libraries are installed when running `npm install` at the repository root.

### Which Garden Skills require React as a runtime dependency?

Only the Web-Design-Website demo and the Beautiful-Article scaffold template require React. The web-design demo uses React 19.2.5 as specified in [`website/web-design-website/package.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/website/web-design-website/package.json), while the beautiful-article scaffold uses React 18.3.1 according to [`skills/beautiful-article/assets/scaffold-template/package.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/skills/beautiful-article/assets/scaffold-template/package.json).

### Are there any skills that run without external runtime dependencies?

Yes. GPT-Image-2, KB-Retriever, and Web-Video-Presentation operate with zero npm dependencies. GPT-Image-2 relies on host runtime network capabilities, KB-Retriever uses native Node.js file system APIs, and Web-Video-Presentation processes video data without external libraries.

### What is the purpose of the reacticle dependency in Beautiful-Article?

The `reacticle` library provides animated UI components for article presentation layouts. It is declared as a runtime dependency in [`skills/beautiful-article/assets/scaffold-template/package.json`](https://github.com/ConardLi/garden-skills/blob/main/skills/beautiful-article/assets/scaffold-template/package.json) to enable dynamic, motion-enabled article interfaces when the scaffold generates new projects.