feat: specify canisters not to deploy

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 # UNRELEASED
 
+### feat: specify canisters not to deploy
+
+`"deploy": false` canister option makes it not to deploy, unless explicitly specified on the command line.
+
 ### feat: WASM memory soft-limit
 
 Adds support for the `wasm_memory_limit` canister setting, which limits the canister's heap during most calls but does not affect queries. As with other canister settings, it can be set in `dfx canister create` or `dfx canister update-settings` via the `--wasm-memory-limit` flag, as well as in `dfx.json` under `canisters[].initialization_values.wasm_memory_limit`.

docs/cli-reference/dfx-deploy.mdx

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { MarkdownChipRow } from "/src/components/Chip/MarkdownChipRow";
 
 <MarkdownChipRow labels={["Reference"]}/>
 
-Use the `dfx deploy` command to register, build, and deploy a dapp on the local canister execution environment, on the IC or on a specified testnet. By default, all canisters defined in the project `dfx.json` configuration file are deployed.
+Use the `dfx deploy` command to register, build, and deploy a dapp on the local canister execution environment, on the IC or on a specified testnet. By default, all canisters defined in the project `dfx.json` configuration file are deployed, except of the canisters with `"deploy": false` option.
 
 This command simplifies the developer workflow by enabling you to run one command instead of running the following commands as separate steps:
 

docs/dfx-json-schema.json

@@ -369,6 +369,12 @@
             "type": "string"
           }
         },
+        "deploy": {
+          "title": "Deploy",
+          "description": "`false` value means not to deploy this canister unless it's explicitly specified in the command line (supposed use: canister that are created by other canisters).",
+          "default": true,
+          "type": "boolean"
+        },
         "frontend": {
           "title": "Force Frontend URL",
           "description": "Mostly unused. If this value is not null, a frontend URL is displayed after deployment even if the canister type is not 'asset'.",

src/dfx-core/src/config/model/dfinity.rs

@@ -257,6 +257,11 @@ pub struct ConfigCanistersCanister {
     #[serde(default)]
     pub dependencies: Vec<String>,
 
+    /// # Deploy
+    /// `false` value means not to deploy this canister unless it's explicitly specified in the command line (supposed use: canister that are created by other canisters).
+    #[serde(default = "default_true")]
+    pub deploy: bool,
+
     /// # Force Frontend URL
     /// Mostly unused.
     /// If this value is not null, a frontend URL is displayed after deployment even if the canister type is not 'asset'.
@@ -327,6 +332,10 @@ pub struct ConfigCanistersCanister {
     pub init_arg_file: Option<String>,
 }
 
+fn default_true() -> bool {
+    true
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, JsonSchema)]
 #[serde(tag = "type", rename_all = "snake_case")]
 pub enum CanisterTypeProperties {
@@ -965,7 +974,7 @@ impl ConfigInterface {
             .wasm_memory_limit)
     }
 
-    fn get_canister_config(
+    pub fn get_canister_config(
         &self,
         canister_name: &str,
     ) -> Result<&ConfigCanistersCanister, GetCanisterConfigError> {

src/dfx/src/lib/operations/canister/deploy_canisters.rs

@@ -100,7 +100,13 @@ pub async fn deploy_canisters(
     let canisters_to_install: Vec<String> = canisters_to_build
         .clone()
         .into_iter()
-        .filter(|canister_name| !pull_canisters_in_config.contains_key(canister_name))
+        .filter(|canister_name| {
+            !pull_canisters_in_config.contains_key(canister_name)
+                && (some_canister == Some(canister_name) || // do deploy a canister that was explicitly specified
+                    // TODO: This is a hack.
+                    config.get_config().get_canister_config(canister_name).map_or(
+                        true, |canister_config| canister_config.deploy))
+        })
         .collect();
 
     if some_canister.is_some() {