Module's optional field config not imported on install

Question

I've got a module which contains a config/optional folder which has the content:

paragraphs.paragraphs_type.my_paragraph_id.yml
field.field.paragraph.my_paragraph_id.field_my_field.yml
field.storage.paragraph.field_my_field.yml
core.entity_form_display.paragraph.my_paragraph_id.yml
core.entity_view_display.paragraph.my_paragraph_id.yml

These files have been exported from an existing installation without uuid's. When I enable the module, the config does not import since the module paragraphs has not yet been enabled. When I enable paragraphs the paragraph type my_paragraph_id is created as expected. The field storage for field_my_field is also created, since I can create a new field based on the existing field field_my_field. Though, the field is not created on the paragraph itself.

I've tried moving the config files to config/install and then it simply works as expected; the field gets created on the paragraph just fine. But the module paragraph should be optional and only then the config should be created, therefor, I want it to be optional.

Why does the config/optional not install the field?

Answer 1

Optional config is only installed if it has an explicit dependency on a module that is being installed right now. Otherwise that configuration would be re-installed every time you install a module, even if it is something you chose to delete on a specific site.

The downside of that is that there are some grey areas of config that depends on config that depends on a module being installed that isn't found by this. Although that should also work but apparently does not in this case.

As a workaround, you can add an enforced dependency on the paragraphs module on those configurations that aren't being imported, then it should work. See https://www.drupal.org/node/2404447