forksnd · pull · Mar 23, 2026 · Mar 23, 2026 · Mar 23, 2026 · Mar 23, 2026
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ emsdk/
 
 # daspkg artifacts
 daspkg.lock
+.daspkg_global.lock
+.daspkg_standalone
+modules/.daspkg_tmp/
+modules/.daspkg_backup/
+modules/.daspkg_cache/
+modules/.daspkg.log
 examples/*/modules/
 
 # Claude Code (local settings)

diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -400,7 +400,10 @@ ENDFUNCTION()
 
 
 FOREACH(_module ${_modules})
-    INCLUDE(modules/${_module}/CMakeLists.txt OPTIONAL)
+    # Skip daspkg-installed modules that build themselves (standalone CMake)
+    IF(NOT EXISTS "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/modules/${_module}/.daspkg_standalone")
+        INCLUDE(modules/${_module}/CMakeLists.txt OPTIONAL)
+    ENDIF()
 ENDFOREACH()
 
 # Clean stale .shared_module files. When a module is disabled, its .shared_module
@@ -1307,6 +1310,7 @@ install(FILES
 
 install(FILES ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/install/README.md DESTINATION ${DAS_INSTALL_DOCDIR})
 install(FILES ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/install/CLAUDE.md DESTINATION ${DAS_INSTALL_DOCDIR})
+install(FILES ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/install/.gitignore DESTINATION ${DAS_INSTALL_DOCDIR})
 install(DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/install/skills DESTINATION ${DAS_INSTALL_DOCDIR})
 install(FILES ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/LICENSE DESTINATION ${DAS_INSTALL_DOCDIR})
 install(FILES ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/3rdparty/uriparser/COPYING DESTINATION ${DAS_INSTALL_DOCDIR} RENAME URIPARSER.LICENSE)
@@ -1354,7 +1358,6 @@ file(GLOB DAS_DASPKG_FILES ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/utils/daspkg/*.das)
 install(FILES ${DAS_DASPKG_FILES} DESTINATION utils/daspkg)
 install(FILES
     ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/utils/daspkg/README.md
-    ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/utils/daspkg/DESIGN.md
     DESTINATION utils/daspkg
 )
 install(DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/utils/daspkg/fixtures/

diff --git a/doc/source/reference/utils/daspkg.rst b/doc/source/reference/utils/daspkg.rst
@@ -59,9 +59,10 @@ Design principles:
 - **Executable manifests** -- ``.das_package`` is a daslang script, not
   a static JSON file.  Version resolution, dependency declarations, and
   build steps can contain arbitrary logic.
-- **Per-project** -- packages install into the project's ``modules/``
-  directory (like ``node_modules``), not globally.  Reproducible builds
-  by default.
+- **Per-project by default** -- packages install into the project's
+  ``modules/`` directory (like ``node_modules``).  Reproducible builds
+  by default.  Large modules can be installed **globally** with
+  ``--global`` to avoid redundant clones and builds across projects.
 - **Two package types** -- pure-daslang (just ``.das`` files, no build)
   and C++ (cmake auto-build from source).
 
@@ -84,6 +85,8 @@ Commands
    * - ``update [name]``
      - Re-install one or all packages at their pinned version
        (re-clone, rebuild).
+   * - ``upgrade [name]``
+     - Upgrade one or all packages to the latest version.
    * - ``list``
      - List installed packages.
    * - ``search <query>``
@@ -99,12 +102,21 @@ Commands
    * - ``withdraw <name>``
      - Remove a package from the index via PR (requires ``gh`` CLI).
 
+All commands that operate on packages (``install``, ``remove``,
+``update``, ``upgrade``, ``list``, ``check``, ``build``) accept the
+``--global`` flag.
+
 Options:
 
 - ``--root <path>`` -- project root (default: current directory).
 - ``--force`` -- force reinstall even if already installed.
+- ``--global``, ``-g`` -- operate on global modules in
+  ``{das_root}/modules/`` (see :ref:`daspkg_global_modules`).
+- ``--color`` / ``--no-color`` -- enable/disable ANSI colored output.
 - ``--verbose``, ``-v`` -- print debug details (git commands, resolve
   steps, file operations).
+- ``--json`` -- machine-readable JSON output (``search``, ``list``,
+  ``check``).
 
 
 Package sources
@@ -251,6 +263,78 @@ When you run ``daspkg install github.com/user/repo@v1.0``:
 7. Auto-build if ``.das_package`` has ``build()``.
 
 
+.. _daspkg_global_modules:
+
+Global modules
+==============
+
+By default, packages install per-project into ``{root}/modules/``.
+Large packages with native builds (e.g. dasImgui) can be installed
+**globally** -- once under ``{das_root}/modules/`` -- and shared across
+all projects using that daScript SDK.
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+   # install globally
+   daspkg install --global dasImgui
+
+   # list / update / upgrade / remove / build / check globally
+   daspkg list --global
+   daspkg update --global dasImgui
+   daspkg upgrade --global dasImgui
+   daspkg remove --global dasImgui
+   daspkg build --global
+   daspkg check --global
+
+Install behavior
+----------------
+
+- **Global install** (``--global``): clones and builds in
+  ``{das_root}/modules/``, records in
+  ``{das_root}/modules/.daspkg_global.lock``.
+- **Local install auto-uses global**: ``daspkg install foo`` checks the
+  global lock file first.  If a compatible global version exists, it
+  records a reference (``"global": true`` in the project lock file)
+  instead of cloning -- zero network, zero build time.
+- **Version mismatch**: if the global version doesn't satisfy the
+  requested version, daspkg errors with a suggestion.  Use ``--force``
+  to install locally, or ``--global`` to update the global copy.
+- **Dependencies**: global packages' dependencies also install globally.
+  Built-in SDK modules already in ``{das_root}/modules/`` are skipped
+  automatically.
+
+Coexistence (local + global)
+----------------------------
+
+A package can exist both locally and globally.  The C++ runtime
+(``require_dynamic_modules``) handles this via **shadow detection**:
+
+- If the same module directory exists in both ``{das_root}/modules/``
+  and ``{project_root}/modules/``, the **local version wins**.
+- A warning is printed:
+  ``Warning: local 'dasImgui' shadows global -- using local``
+- This is safe -- removing the local copy seamlessly falls back to the
+  global one.
+
+Remove behavior
+---------------
+
+- ``daspkg remove --global foo`` -- deletes ``{das_root}/modules/foo/``
+  and removes from global lock file.
+- ``daspkg remove foo`` (where project entry has ``"global": true``) --
+  only removes the project lock file reference; the global directory is
+  **not** deleted.
+
+CMake integration
+-----------------
+
+Global packages that use ``cmake_build()`` or ``custom_build()`` get a
+``.daspkg_standalone`` marker file.  The main daScript ``CMakeLists.txt``
+skips directories with this marker during auto-discovery, preventing
+build errors from standalone CMakeLists.txt files that expect
+``DASLANG_DIR`` to be set explicitly.
+
+
 Project layout
 ==============
 
@@ -270,6 +354,13 @@ Project layout
        .daspkg_cache/               # index cache (gitignored)
        .daspkg_tmp/                 # temp dir during install (gitignored)
 
+   {das_root}/                       # daScript SDK root
+     modules/
+       .daspkg_global.lock           # global lock file (gitignored)
+       <global_package>/
+         .daspkg_standalone          # marker: built by daspkg, skip in CMake
+         ...                         # same structure as local packages
+
 
 Lock file
 =========
@@ -280,23 +371,30 @@ Lock file
 
    {
        "sdk_version": "",
-       "packages": {
-           "mymodule": {
+       "packages": [
+           {
+               "name": "mymodule",
                "source": "github.com/user/mymodule",
-               "version": "v1.0",
+               "version": "1.0",
                "tag": "v1.0",
                "branch": "",
                "root": true,
-               "local": false
+               "local": false,
+               "global": false
            }
-       }
+       ]
    }
 
 - **root** -- ``true`` if the user explicitly installed this package;
   ``false`` if it was pulled in as a transitive dependency.
 - **version** -- what the user requested.
 - **tag/branch** -- what ``.das_package`` resolved to (the actual git ref).
 - **local** -- ``true`` for packages installed from a local path.
+- **global** -- ``true`` if the package is resolved from a global
+  install in ``{das_root}/modules/`` (no local copy).
+
+The global lock file (``{das_root}/modules/.daspkg_global.lock``) uses
+the same format to track globally installed packages.
 
 
 Package index

diff --git a/install/.gitignore b/install/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# Build artifacts
+build/
+bin/
+lib/
+.cache/
+
+# JIT
+.jitted_scripts/
+
+# AOT
+_aot_generated/
+
+# daspkg
+daspkg.lock
+.daspkg_global.lock
+.daspkg_standalone
+modules/.daspkg_tmp/
+modules/.daspkg_backup/
+modules/.daspkg_cache/
+modules/.daspkg.log
+
+# IDE
+.vscode/
+
+# MCP
+.mcp.json
+sgconfig.yml
diff --git a/skills/daspkg.md b/skills/daspkg.md
@@ -20,14 +20,14 @@ The `--root` flag sets the project root directory (default: current directory).
 
 | Command | Usage | Description |
 |---|---|---|
-| `search` | `search [query] --json` | Search the package index. Empty query lists all. `--json` for structured output |
-| `install` | `install <source> [--force]` | Install a package. Without source, installs all deps from `.das_package` |
-| `remove` | `remove <name>` | Remove an installed package |
-| `update` | `update [name]` | Re-install at pinned version. Without name, updates all |
-| `upgrade` | `upgrade [name]` | Upgrade to latest version. Without name, upgrades all |
-| `list` | `list [--json]` | List installed packages |
-| `check` | `check [--json]` | Verify installed packages match lockfile |
-| `build` | `build` | Build native (CMake) packages |
+| `search` | `search [query] [--json]` | Search the package index. Empty query lists all |
+| `install` | `install <source> [--force] [--global]` | Install a package. Without source, installs all deps from `.das_package` |
+| `remove` | `remove <name> [--global]` | Remove an installed package |
+| `update` | `update [name] [--global]` | Re-install at pinned version. Without name, updates all |
+| `upgrade` | `upgrade [name] [--global]` | Upgrade to latest version. Without name, upgrades all |
+| `list` | `list [--json] [--global]` | List installed packages |
+| `check` | `check [--json] [--global]` | Verify installed packages match lockfile |
+| `build` | `build [--global]` | Build native (CMake) packages |
 | `doctor` | `doctor` | Check environment (git, cmake, gh) |
 | `introduce` | `introduce` | Register package in the public index (creates PR on daspkg-index) |
 | `withdraw` | `withdraw` | Remove package from the public index |
@@ -39,14 +39,76 @@ The `--root` flag sets the project root directory (default: current directory).
 - **Local path:** `install ./path/to/package`
 - **Index name:** `install my-package` (looks up in package index)
 
+## Options
+
+| Flag | Description |
+|---|---|
+| `--root <path>` | Project root directory (default: current directory) |
+| `--force` | Force reinstall (overrides duplicate/version checks) |
+| `--global`, `-g` | Operate on global modules in `{das_root}/modules/` (see below) |
+| `--color` | Enable colored output |
+| `--no-color` | Disable colored output (useful for capturing output) |
+| `--verbose`, `-v` | Print detailed progress |
+| `--json` | Machine-readable JSON output (`search`, `list`, `check`) |
+
 ## Key Details
 
-- Packages install to `modules/<RepoName>/` (e.g. `modules/dasAnthropic/`)
+- Packages install to `{root}/modules/<RepoName>/` (e.g. `modules/dasAnthropic/`)
 - Lock file: `daspkg.lock` in the `--root` directory
 - Package name (in `.das_package`) can differ from repo name
 - `install` and `update`/`upgrade` can take 10+ minutes for packages with native builds — use long timeouts
-- `--no-color` flag disables ANSI color output (useful for capturing output)
-- `--json` flag on `search`, `list`, `check` returns structured JSON
+
+## Global Modules
+
+Large packages (e.g. dasImgui) can be installed **globally** — once under `{das_root}/modules/` — and shared across all projects using that daScript SDK. This avoids redundant clones and builds.
+
+### Usage
+
+```bash
+# Install globally (to das_root/modules/)
+daspkg install --global dasImgui
+daspkg install --global github.com/user/dasImgui@1.0
+
+# List globally installed packages
+daspkg list --global
+
+# Update/upgrade globally
+daspkg update --global dasImgui
+daspkg upgrade --global dasImgui
+
+# Remove globally
+daspkg remove --global dasImgui
+
+# Build all global native packages
+daspkg build --global
+
+# Check global packages
+daspkg check --global
+```
+
+### Install behavior
+
+- **Global install** (`--global`): clones and builds in `{das_root}/modules/`, records in `{das_root}/modules/.daspkg_global.lock`
+- **Local install auto-uses global:** `daspkg install foo` checks the global lock file first. If a compatible global version exists, it records a reference (`"global": true` in project lock file) instead of cloning — zero network, zero build time
+- **Version mismatch:** if the global version doesn't satisfy the project's requested version, daspkg errors with a suggestion. Use `--force` to install locally, or `--global` to update the global copy
+- **Dependencies:** global packages' dependencies also install globally. Built-in SDK modules (already in `das_root/modules/`) are automatically skipped
+
+### Coexistence (local + global)
+
+A package can exist both locally and globally. The C++ runtime (`require_dynamic_modules`) handles this via **shadow detection**:
+
+- If the same module directory exists in both `{das_root}/modules/` and `{project_root}/modules/`, the **local version wins**
+- A warning is printed: `"Warning: local 'dasImgui' shadows global — using local"`
+- This is safe — removing the local copy seamlessly falls back to the global one
+
+### Remove behavior
+
+- `daspkg remove --global foo` — deletes `{das_root}/modules/foo/` and removes from global lock file
+- `daspkg remove foo` (where project entry has `"global": true`) — only removes the project lock file reference; the global directory is not deleted
+
+### CMake integration
+
+Global packages that use `cmake_build()` or `custom_build()` get a `.daspkg_standalone` marker file. The main daScript `CMakeLists.txt` skips directories with this marker during auto-discovery, preventing `FATAL_ERROR` from standalone CMakeLists.txt files (e.g. dasImgui requires `DASLANG_DIR` to be set explicitly).
 
 ## `.das_package` Manifest