[rush] Fix cross-subspace workspace:* dependencies failing under pnpm 11 (globalPnpmfile via pnpm-workspace.yaml)

[Jérémy Dieuze (QuanticPotatoes)]

Summary

Fixes #5912.

With subspaces enabled, Rush generates a "global pnpmfile" (global-pnpmfile.cjs) that rewrites cross-subspace workspace:* dependency specifiers to link: specifiers. It is wired up via a global-pnpmfile= line in the generated .npmrc — but pnpm 11 only reads auth/registry settings from .npmrc, so the hook never loads and installation fails on the first subspace that carries a cross-subspace dependency:

ERR_PNPM_WORKSPACE_PKG_NOT_FOUND  In ../../../apps/api: "@my/tooling-package@workspace:*" is in the dependencies but no package named "@my/tooling-package" is present in the workspace

This is the counterpart of #5838 for the pnpmfile wiring: for pnpm 11+, the path is now emitted via the globalPnpmfile setting of the generated pnpm-workspace.yaml (which pnpm 11 still supports — and unlike the pnpmfile setting, it does not disable the default .pnpmfile.cjs loading, so the per-subspace user pnpmfile shim keeps working). Behavior for pnpm 10 and earlier is unchanged: the .npmrc line is still written (pnpm 11 ignores it).

Details

• PnpmWorkspaceFile: new globalPnpmfile field (serialize + tryLoadAsync).
• InstallHelpers.resolvePnpmSettings: when isPnpm11 && subspacesFeatureEnabled, sets workspaceFile.globalPnpmfile to <subspace temp folder>/global-pnpmfile.cjs — same relocation pattern as the [rush] Relocate pnpm settings to pnpm-workspace.yaml for pnpm 11 #5838 settings.
• BaseInstallManager: comment documenting that the .npmrc line only reaches pnpm ≤ 10.

How it was tested

• rush-lib full suite: 724 passed / 0 failed. New tests: PnpmWorkspaceFile serialize + round-trip for globalPnpmfile; InstallHelpers emits the path for pnpm 11 + subspaces (new pnpmConfigPnpm11Subspaces fixture), and does not emit it for pnpm 11 without subspaces nor for pnpm < 11 with subspaces.
• End-to-end against a real subspaces monorepo (8 subspaces, cross-subspace workspace:* dev-tooling deps) on pnpm 11.17.0: without the setting, rush update fails with ERR_PNPM_WORKSPACE_PKG_NOT_FOUND; with globalPnpmfile appended to the generated pnpm-workspace.yaml (what this PR automates), the same install resolves cleanly.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

[Jérémy Dieuze (QuanticPotatoes)]

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[Copilot]

Pull request overview

Fixes pnpm 11 cross-subspace workspace:* resolution by configuring Rush’s global pnpmfile through pnpm-workspace.yaml.

Changes:

• Adds globalPnpmfile serialization and loading support.
• Emits the pnpmfile path for pnpm 11 subspace installs.
• Adds fixtures, tests, snapshots, and release notes.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
libraries/rush-lib/src/logic/test/pnpmConfigPnpm11Subspaces/rush.json	Adds pnpm 11 test fixture.
libraries/rush-lib/src/logic/test/pnpmConfigPnpm11Subspaces/common/config/subspaces/default/pnpm-config.json	Adds default subspace configuration.
libraries/rush-lib/src/logic/test/pnpmConfigPnpm11Subspaces/common/config/rush/subspaces.json	Enables subspaces in the fixture.
libraries/rush-lib/src/logic/test/pnpmConfigPnpm11Subspaces/common/config/rush/pnpm-config.json	Enables workspace mode.
libraries/rush-lib/src/logic/test/InstallHelpers.test.ts	Tests version and subspace gating.
libraries/rush-lib/src/logic/test/__snapshots__/InstallHelpers.test.ts.snap	Updates terminal snapshots.
libraries/rush-lib/src/logic/pnpm/test/PnpmWorkspaceFile.test.ts	Tests serialization and loading.
libraries/rush-lib/src/logic/pnpm/test/__snapshots__/PnpmWorkspaceFile.test.ts.snap	Captures generated YAML.
libraries/rush-lib/src/logic/pnpm/PnpmWorkspaceFile.ts	Supports the globalPnpmfile setting.
libraries/rush-lib/src/logic/installManager/InstallHelpers.ts	Configures the global pnpmfile for pnpm 11 subspaces.
libraries/rush-lib/src/logic/base/BaseInstallManager.ts	Documents legacy .npmrc behavior.
common/changes/@microsoft/rush/fix-pnpm11-subspace-global-pnpmfile_2026-08-04-08-30-00.json	Records the user-facing fix.

Review details

• Files reviewed: 12/12 changed files
• Comments generated: 0
• Review effort level: Balanced