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Clarify installation instructions #1181

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Clarify installation instructions #1181

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30 changes: 26 additions & 4 deletions README.md
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Expand Up @@ -45,16 +45,38 @@ To install the stable version:
npm install --save redux
```

Most likely, you’ll also need [the React bindings](https://github.com/rackt/react-redux) and [the developer tools](https://github.com/gaearon/redux-devtools).
This requires using the [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/) package manager. It includes a [UMD](https://github.com/umdjs/umd) build, which is compatible with many popular JavaScript module loaders and environments.

#### Other Installation Methods

We **strongly** recommend using [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/) over these other options, as most of the [libraries complementary to Redux](#complementary-libraries) are only available on [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/).

However, if you don’t yet use [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/) or a modern module bundler, you have a few options.

##### Bower
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I really don’t want to see us contributing to “Bower is still a good choice for front-end devs” meme by even dedicating it a header. Instead, I would suggest to merge the below two sections, remove cdnjs reference and keep only npmcdn (it’s a better project IMO), and add Bower commend as an afterthought (“If you use an alternative package manager such as Bower, it is possible that your package manager allows installing libraries from URLs, for example: ”). This way it doesn’t look like we encourage it.


If you're using [Bower](http://bower.io/), this command will install the stable version of Redux:

```
bower install redux=https://npmcdn.com/redux/dist/redux.js
```

##### CDNs

Redux is available via [cdnjs](https://cdnjs.com/libraries/redux) and [npmcdn](https://npmcdn.com/redux/dist/redux.min.js). The files on these CDNs are [UMD](https://github.com/umdjs/umd) builds, which means that they will export a browser global, `window.redux`, if you're not using a tool like [Webpack](http://webpack.github.io), [Browserify](http://browserify.org/), or [RequireJS](http://requirejs.org/) to build your library.
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It’s window.Redux, not window.redux.


An example of using the global Redux object can be seen in [the vanilla counter example](https://github.com/rackt/redux/blob/765a3a5742a591adba7ae8b61e0516c49ca594bd/examples/counter-vanilla/index.html).

#### Complementary Libraries

Most likely, you’ll also need [the React bindings](https://github.com/rackt/react-redux) and [the developer tools](https://github.com/gaearon/redux-devtools) while working with Redux.

```
npm install --save react-redux
npm install --save-dev redux-devtools
```

This assumes that you’re using [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/) package manager with a module bundler like [Webpack](http://webpack.github.io) or [Browserify](http://browserify.org/) to consume [CommonJS modules](http://webpack.github.io/docs/commonjs.html).

If you don’t yet use [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/) or a modern module bundler, and would rather prefer a single-file [UMD](https://github.com/umdjs/umd) build that makes `Redux` available as a global object, you can grab a pre-built version from [cdnjs](https://cdnjs.com/libraries/redux). We *don’t* recommend this approach for any serious application, as most of the libraries complementary to Redux are only available on [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/).
Use of the extensions requires that you’re using [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/) in conjunction with a module bundler like [Webpack](http://webpack.github.io) or [Browserify](http://browserify.org/) to consume [CommonJS modules](http://webpack.github.io/docs/commonjs.html).
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Sorry for the death by a thousand comments...

I'd change "Use of the extensions requires that you’re using npm" back to something like "This assumes you are using npm", so you avoid having "use" and "using" in the same sentence.

But good catch changing "npm package manager" to just "npm". That's like saying "ATM machine" 😄

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Sorry for the death by a thousand comments...

No problem at all! I want this to be good. I appreciate the thorough feedback.

I'd change "Use of the extensions requires that you’re using npm" back to something like "This assumes you are using npm", so you avoid having "use" and "using" in the same sentence.

I agree that the current wording is awkward. At the same time, I want to say something a little stronger than "this assumes," because that leaves it open that there are other methods (perhaps the CDNs above, or Bower). The existing text (before I made any changes) made it out that these tools can only be used with npm, or only with CommonJS. I just pulled down react-redux, though, and it includes a UMD build all the same. I then checked cdnjs and saw it there, too.

Perhaps the recommendation to stick with npm isn't as strong as it was originally worded, and how I've worded it to be? It looks like the three install methods (npm, Bower, CDNs) may work for all of 3 of these libraries?

If that's the case, I might want to do another restructuring to make that more clear.

Another thought is that maybe the original wording was referring to popular React libraries outside of the mini-Redux ecosystem described here. Is that the case?

Sorry I'm not more knowledgeable, I haven't used Redux much yet :)

But good catch changing "npm package manager" to just "npm". That's like saying "ATM machine"

Heh heh. Maybe not...


### The Gist

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