---
title: Filtering Packages
description: Learn more about all the package filtering flags in Melos.
---

# Filtering Packages

Each Melos command can be used alongside the following global filters:

## --no-private

Exclude private packages (`publish_to: none`). They are included by default.

```bash
melos bootstrap --no-private
```

## --published

Filter packages where the current local package version exists on pub.dev.

```bash
melos bootstrap --published
```

Use `--no-published` to filter packages that have not had their current version
published yet.

## --scope

Include only packages with names matching the given glob. This option can be
repeated.

```bash
# Run `flutter build ios` on all packages with "example" in the package name
melos exec --scope="*example*" -- flutter build ios
```

## --ignore

Exclude packages with names matching the given glob. This option can be
repeated.

```bash
# Run `flutter build ios` on all packages but ignore those whose packages names contain "internal"
melos exec --ignore="*internal*" -- flutter build ios
```

## --category

Filter packages based on categories declared in the root `pubspec.yaml` file.

```bash
# Run `flutter build ios` on all packages in the "examples" category.
melos exec --category="examples" -- flutter build ios
```

## --diff

Filter packages based on whether there were changes between a commit and the
current HEAD or within a range of commits.

A range of commits can be specified using the git shorthand syntax
`<start-commit>..<end-commit>` and `<start-commit>...<end-commit>`.

```bash
# Run `flutter build ios` on all packages that are different between current
# branch and the specified commit hash.
melos exec --diff=<commit hash> -- flutter build ios

# Run `flutter build ios` on all packages that are different between remote
# `main` branch and HEAD.
melos exec --diff=origin/main...HEAD -- flutter build ios
```

To list the packages that changed since their latest release tag, use the
[`changed`](/commands/changed) command.

## --dir-exists

Include only packages where a specific directory exists inside the package.

```bash
# Only bootstrap packages with an example directory
melos bootstrap --dir-exists="example"
```

## --file-exists

Include only packages where a specific file exists in the package.

```bash
# Only bootstrap packages with an README.md file
melos bootstrap --file-exists="README.md"
```

## --flutter

Filter packages that need the Flutter SDK. A package needs the Flutter SDK when
its `pubspec.yaml` either:

- depends on a package that is shipped with the Flutter SDK (`sdk: flutter`),
  for example `flutter` or `flutter_test`, in any dependency section,
- declares a Flutter SDK constraint under `environment`, or
- depends, directly or transitively, on another package in the workspace that
  declares a Flutter SDK constraint or that has Flutter in its `dependencies`.
  The `dev_dependencies` and `dependency_overrides` of that package are not
  considered, since they do not apply to the packages that depend on it.

```bash
melos exec --flutter -- flutter test
```

Use `--no-flutter` to filter packages that do not need the Flutter SDK.

A package that only needs the Flutter SDK because of a dependency that is not
part of the workspace, for example a hosted package, can declare that with a
Flutter SDK constraint:

```yaml
environment:
  sdk: ^3.9.0
  flutter: ">=3.35.0"
```

The same rules decide whether Melos uses the `flutter` or the `dart` tool for a
package in commands such as `melos analyze` and `melos test`.

## --depends-on

Include only packages that depend on specific dependencies.

```bash
melos exec --depends-on="flutter" --depends-on="firebase_core" -- flutter test
```

Use `--no-depends-on` to filter packages that do not depend on the given
dependencies.

## --include-dependencies

Takes the filtered list of packages, and expands them to include those packages'
transitive dependencies (ignoring filters).

```bash
melos list --scope=some_package --include-dependencies
```

## --include-dependents
Takes the filtered list of packages, and expands them to include those packages'
transitive dependents (ignoring filters).

```bash
melos list --scope=some_package --include-dependents
```

## --post-filter

The packages that are included through `--include-dependencies` and
`--include-dependents` skip all the other filters. Use `--post-filter` to apply
a filter after the dependencies and dependents have been included. The value is
any of the other filters, written without the leading dashes. The option can be
repeated.

```bash
# Run `build_runner` in `some_package` and all of its transitive dependencies,
# but only in the packages that depend on `build_runner`.
melos exec --scope=some_package --include-dependencies \
  --post-filter=depends-on=build_runner -- dart run build_runner build

# Run the tests of all changed packages and their transitive dependents, but
# only in the packages that have a `test` directory.
melos exec --diff=origin/main...HEAD --include-dependents \
  --post-filter=dir-exists=test -- dart test
```

Flags are written in the same way, for example `--post-filter=no-private`.

The post filters are applied to all the packages, including the ones that
matched the other filters. `include-dependencies` and `include-dependents`
cannot be used as post filters.

In [`packageFilters`](/configuration/scripts#packagefilters), the post filters
are defined with the `postFilters` option:

```yaml
scripts:
  generate:
    exec: dart run build_runner build
    packageFilters:
      scope: some_package
      includeDependencies: true
      postFilters:
        dependsOn: build_runner
```