Composer Dev Requirements

composer.json

{
    "require": {
        "laravel/framework": "4.0.*",
    },
    "require-dev": {
        "behat/behat": "2.4.*",
        "mockery/mockery": "0.7.*",
        "fzaninotto/Faker": "1.2.*",
        
        "pdepend/pdepend" : "1.1.*",
        "phpmd/phpmd" : "1.4.*",
        "phploc/phploc": "*",
        "phpunit/phpunit": "3.7.*",
        "squizlabs/php_codesniffer": "1.*",
        "sebastian/phpcpd": "*",
        "mayflower/php-codebrowser": "*"
    }
}

For all the build tools I have a separate composer.json that symlinks them to the system.
As these tools have a truckload of dependencies and easily manage to not be installable.

I know, it's a bit of a step back to PEAR, but at least it doesn't affect my app with old dependencies

@onigoetz can you post up a gist showing how you do that?.It sounds like a v.interesting way of doing things.