I recently came across this change record for D8: https://www.drupal.org/node/2952947
What this has done in short is that it has allowed installation profiles to specify install dependencies in addition to the preexisting dependencies. D8 uses .yml files, but here's how that could look in .info files:
name = Standard
description = Install with commonly used features pre-configured.
version = BACKDROP_VERSION
backdrop = 1.x
install[] = admin_bar
install[] = ckeditor
install[] = comment
install[] = dblog
install[] = views_ui
install[] = update
dependencies[] = node
dependencies[] = block
dependencies[] = color
dependencies[] = config
dependencies[] = contextual
...
The dependencies array would be treated as a set of "hard" dependencies, meaning that they cannot be uninstalled, because the profile depends on them. If the profile simply wants to specify a list of modules to install, but upon which it does not actually depend, it can use the install array.
To maintain backwards compatibility, profiles which only define a dependencies array, but not an install array, would have their list of dependencies treated like an install list. This backwards compatibility layer could be removed in Backdrop 2.0, which should allow enough time for profile authors to separate their install list from their actual dependencies.
Recent comments
Thank you for your answer. What I want to do is display usernames or user images in a menu, similar to many community websites. The basic menu that Backdrop currently provides is a "...
How can I display the username or user profile picture in the menu?
Just go to the menu where you want to add your link. Add your link and in the path search for "user". It's done. No need to use a token. Or perhaps this ? menu_attributes
How can I display the username or user profile picture in the menu?
Please can you provide more information about the use case for this and also a screenshot or mockup of what you are trying to achieve. There is a request here (https://github.com/backdrop-...
How can I display the username or user profile picture in the menu?