[Feature] Yarn workspaces focus - allow root ident as well as named workspace

[alexg-axis]

• I'd be willing to implement this feature (contributing guide)
• This feature is important to have in this repository; a contrib plugin wouldn't do

Describe the user story

As a developer using yarn workspaces I reuse configuration for linting in the root-level workspace, whilst tests and business logic lies in one or more workspaces.

When installing dependencies in the CI I therefore want to yarn workspaces focus on the root as well as one or more workspaces.

I do not want to get the following error.

Internal Error: Workspace not found (.)
    at Pt.getWorkspaceByIdent (/path/to/code/.yarn/releases/yarn-4.1.1.cjs:210:3092)
    at /path/to/code/.yarn/releases/yarn-4.1.1.cjs:729:12945
    at Array.map (<anonymous>)
    at ng.execute (/path/to/code/.yarn/releases/yarn-4.1.1.cjs:729:12936)
    at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5)
    at async ng.validateAndExecute (/path/to/code/.yarn/releases/yarn-4.1.1.cjs:94:787)
    at async as.run (/path/to/code/.yarn/releases/yarn-4.1.1.cjs:98:3250)
    at async sSt (/path/to/code/.yarn/releases/yarn-4.1.1.cjs:734:11303)
    at async nk (/path/to/code/.yarn/releases/yarn-4.1.1.cjs:734:11659)

Describe the solution you'd like

As yarn workspaces list lists the root workspace as . I want to be able to run yarn workspaces focus . foo bar in order to focus on the root, foo and bar workspaces.

Describe the drawbacks of your solution

There may be compatibility concerns if . is not already a reserved workspace name.

Describe alternatives you've considered

I've tried running the CI in different steps, i.e. running yarn workspaces focus to focus on the root first, run linting and then yarn workspaces focus foo to focus on the foo workspace and run its test. Unfortunately this becomes a hassle when there are many steps, making it required to focus several different times, rather than just installing the dependencies that are required once ahead of time. Furthermore, as private packages require additional authentication, the scope of authentication needs to be valid for longer.

[arcanis]

Just give a name to your root workspace and you should be able to reference that.

[alexg-axis]

Thanks for the quick response, @arcanis. That works well for my purposes. I guess I was a bit confused by the name being replaced by "." and not showing up by itself when running yarn workspaces list. If I use the --json flag, however, the name shows up and makes it clear that "." was just the location.

I'm fine closing this as it's already available.