> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/provablehq/leo/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# leo remove

> Remove dependencies from your Leo project

The `leo remove` command removes dependencies from your Leo project's manifest.

## Syntax

```bash theme={null}
leo remove [NAME] [OPTIONS]
```

## Arguments

<ParamField path="NAME" type="string">
  The dependency name to remove. Can be specified with or without `.aleo` suffix.

  Not required when using `--all` flag.

  Examples:

  * `credits.aleo`
  * `credits` (automatically adds `.aleo`)
</ParamField>

## Options

<ParamField path="--all" type="boolean" default={false}>
  Remove all dependencies (or all dev dependencies when used with `--dev`).
</ParamField>

<ParamField path="--dev" type="boolean" default={false}>
  Remove from development dependencies instead of regular dependencies.
</ParamField>

## Examples

### Remove Single Dependency

```bash theme={null}
leo remove credits.aleo
```

Output:

```
✅ Successfully removed the network dependency credits.aleo.
```

Updates `program.json` by removing the dependency.

### Remove Dependency (Short Syntax)

```bash theme={null}
leo remove credits
```

Automatically appends `.aleo`:

```
✅ Successfully removed the network dependency credits.aleo.
```

### Remove Local Dependency

```bash theme={null}
leo remove my_lib
```

Output:

```
✅ Successfully removed the local dependency my_lib.aleo with path ../my_lib.
```

### Remove All Dependencies

```bash theme={null}
leo remove --all
```

Output:

```
✅ Successfully removed all dependencies.
```

Clears the `dependencies` array in `program.json`:

```json theme={null}
{
  "dependencies": []
}
```

<Warning>
  This removes ALL dependencies from your project. Use with caution.
</Warning>

### Remove Development Dependency

```bash theme={null}
leo remove test_utils --dev
```

Output:

```
✅ Successfully removed the local dependency test_utils.aleo with path ../test_utils.
```

Removes from `dev_dependencies` array only.

### Remove All Development Dependencies

```bash theme={null}
leo remove --all --dev
```

Output:

```
✅ Successfully removed all development dependencies.
```

Clears the `dev_dependencies` array:

```json theme={null}
{
  "dev_dependencies": []
}
```

## Before and After

### Before Removal

`program.json`:

```json theme={null}
{
  "program": "my_program.aleo",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "dependencies": [
    {
      "name": "credits.aleo",
      "location": "network"
    },
    {
      "name": "my_lib.aleo",
      "location": "local",
      "path": "../my_lib"
    }
  ],
  "dev_dependencies": [
    {
      "name": "test_utils.aleo",
      "location": "local",
      "path": "../test_utils"
    }
  ]
}
```

### After Removal

```bash theme={null}
leo remove credits
```

`program.json`:

```json theme={null}
{
  "program": "my_program.aleo",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "dependencies": [
    {
      "name": "my_lib.aleo",
      "location": "local",
      "path": "../my_lib"
    }
  ],
  "dev_dependencies": [
    {
      "name": "test_utils.aleo",
      "location": "local",
      "path": "../test_utils"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Removing Dependencies

### By Type

#### Network Dependency

```bash theme={null}
leo remove credits --network
```

<Note>
  The `--network` flag is optional. Leo automatically detects dependency type.
</Note>

#### Local Dependency

```bash theme={null}
leo remove my_lib
```

### By Scope

#### Regular Dependency

```bash theme={null}
leo remove credits
```

#### Development Dependency

```bash theme={null}
leo remove test_utils --dev
```

## Effect on Build

After removing a dependency:

```bash theme={null}
leo build
```

The removed dependency:

* Is no longer downloaded
* Is not included in the build
* Cannot be imported in Leo code

### Before Removal

```leo theme={null}
import credits.aleo;
import my_lib.aleo;

program my_program.aleo {
    transition main() {
        let result: u64 = my_lib.aleo/calculate(100u64);
        return result;
    }
}
```

### After Removing my\_lib

```bash theme={null}
leo remove my_lib
leo build
```

Error:

```
Error: Dependency 'my_lib.aleo' not found in program.json
```

You must remove the import and any usage:

```leo theme={null}
program my_program.aleo {
    transition main() {
        // Remove usage of my_lib
        return 100u64;
    }
}
```

## Common Workflows

### Replace Network Dependency with Local

```bash theme={null}
# Remove network dependency
leo remove my_lib

# Add local version
leo add my_lib --local ../my_lib
```

### Replace Local Dependency with Network

```bash theme={null}
# Deploy local dependency first
cd ../my_lib
leo deploy --broadcast

# Replace in main project
cd ../my_project
leo remove my_lib
leo add my_lib --network
```

### Clean Up Unused Dependencies

```bash theme={null}
# Remove unused dependencies one by one
leo remove old_lib
leo remove deprecated_utils
leo remove test_dependency
```

### Switch Dependency Versions

```bash theme={null}
# Remove old version
leo remove token

# Add new version with specific edition
leo add token --network --edition 1
```

## Troubleshooting

### Dependency Not Found

```
Error: Dependency 'my_lib.aleo' not found.
```

The dependency doesn't exist in `program.json`. Check:

```bash theme={null}
cat program.json | jq .dependencies
```

### Wrong Scope

```bash theme={null}
leo remove test_utils
```

```
Error: Dependency 'test_utils.aleo' not found.
```

If it's a dev dependency:

```bash theme={null}
leo remove test_utils --dev
```

### Build Failures After Removal

```
Error: Dependency 'my_lib.aleo' not found
```

You removed a dependency but still reference it. Solutions:

1. Remove import statements:
   ```leo theme={null}
   // Remove this:
   import my_lib.aleo;
   ```

2. Remove function calls:
   ```leo theme={null}
   // Remove this:
   let result: u64 = my_lib.aleo/calculate(100u64);
   ```

3. Re-add the dependency:
   ```bash theme={null}
   leo add my_lib --local ../my_lib
   ```

## Dependency Management Workflow

### Development Phase

```bash theme={null}
# Add local dependencies for rapid iteration
leo add shared_lib --local ../shared_lib
leo add utils --local ../utils
```

### Testing Phase

```bash theme={null}
# Add test dependencies
leo add test_utils --local ../test_utils --dev
leo add mock_data --local ../mocks --dev
```

### Pre-Deployment

```bash theme={null}
# Remove dev dependencies from production build
leo remove test_utils --dev
leo remove mock_data --dev

# Replace local with network dependencies
leo remove shared_lib
leo add shared_lib --network
```

### Cleanup

```bash theme={null}
# Remove all dev dependencies
leo remove --all --dev

# Remove specific unused dependencies
leo remove old_lib
leo remove deprecated_utils
```

## Best Practices

### 1. Clean Imports After Removal

Always update your source code:

```leo theme={null}
// Before removal
import credits.aleo;
import my_lib.aleo;  // ← Will be removed

program my_program.aleo {
    // ...
}

// After removal
import credits.aleo;
// Removed my_lib import

program my_program.aleo {
    // Updated code without my_lib
}
```

### 2. Test After Removal

Always build and test:

```bash theme={null}
leo remove my_lib
leo build
leo test
```

### 3. Document Dependency Changes

Update `README.md`:

```markdown theme={null}
## Dependencies

- `credits.aleo` - Standard token operations
- ~~`my_lib.aleo`~~ - Removed in v0.2.0
```

### 4. Version Control

Commit changes to `program.json`:

```bash theme={null}
leo remove my_lib
git add program.json
git commit -m "Remove my_lib dependency"
```

### 5. Communicate Changes

For shared projects, notify team members:

```bash theme={null}
# After removing dependency
git push
# Notify: "Removed my_lib dependency, update your imports"
```

## Comparison with Add

| Command                            | Purpose               | Effect                                           |
| ---------------------------------- | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| `leo add my_lib --local ../my_lib` | Add dependency        | Adds to `program.json`, includes in build        |
| `leo remove my_lib`                | Remove dependency     | Removes from `program.json`, excludes from build |
| `leo add my_lib --dev`             | Add dev dependency    | Adds to `dev_dependencies`                       |
| `leo remove my_lib --dev`          | Remove dev dependency | Removes from `dev_dependencies`                  |
| `leo add --network`                | Add from network      | Fetches from network during build                |
| `leo remove`                       | Remove dependency     | Removes from manifest                            |

## Advanced Usage

### Scripted Dependency Management

```bash theme={null}
#!/bin/bash
# remove-all-local-deps.sh

# Get all local dependencies
DEPS=$(cat program.json | jq -r '.dependencies[] | select(.location == "local") | .name')

# Remove each one
for DEP in $DEPS; do
    echo "Removing $DEP"
    leo remove "$DEP"
done
```

### Conditional Dependency Removal

```bash theme={null}
#!/bin/bash
# Remove dev dependencies in production

if [ "$ENVIRONMENT" = "production" ]; then
    leo remove --all --dev
fi
```

## Next Steps

* [Add dependencies](/cli/add)
* [Build with dependencies](/cli/build)
* [Update Leo CLI](/cli/update)