ADR 0003: Optional Dependencies Policy

Status

Accepted

Context

Optional dependencies (benchmarks, plotting, UI) should not be required to import or use core optimization logic.

Decision

• Core dependencies live in [project].dependencies.
• Heavy or optional libraries must appear only under [project.optional-dependencies].
• Optional imports must be lazy or guarded with try/except ImportError.
• experiment/external is the integration boundary for benchmark backends.
• Panel imports are confined to ux/panel and the Studio UI boundary.

Consequences

• Core installs remain lightweight.
• Optional features are clearly scoped and testable.
• A dependency policy gate prevents regressions.