Checking and Updating npm Packages
This is a quick rundown on how to check and update npm packages and package.json.
TL;DR
npm commands to check and update packages.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
npm outdated |
Check for outdated packages |
npm update --save |
Update packages and save to package.json |
npm update --save-dev --save |
Update dev packages and save to package.json |
npm update -g |
Update global packages |
Alternatively, you can use npm-check-updates to check and update packages.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
npm install -g npm-check-updates |
Install [npm-check-updates] globally |
npx npm-check-updates |
Check for outdated packages without installing [npm-check-updates] |
ncu -u |
Update packages and save to package.json |
ncu -g -u |
Update global packages |
Table of Contents
npm Commands to Check and Update Packages
Listing Outdated Packages
npm outdated
This command checks the registry to see if any specific installed packages are currently outdated. By default, only the root project's direct dependencies and your configured workspaces' direct dependencies are shown.
npm Documentation: npm-outdated
Updating package.json and Packages
npm update --save
This command updates all the packages listed to the latest version (specified by the tag config), respecting the semver constraints of both your package and its dependencies (if they also require the same package).
The --save flag updates the package.json file with the new version as well.
Add the --dev flag to update dev packages like so:
npm update --save-dev --save
Add the -g flag to update global packages like so:
npm update -g
npm Documentation: npm-update
[npm-check-updates] Commands to Check and Update Packages
npm-check-updates upgrades your package.json dependencies to the latest versions, ignoring specified versions.
There are two options for using npm-check-updates:
- Install it globally and run it as a command-line app.
- Simply run with
npxto use it as a one-off command.
Install and Run Globally
First, install [npm-check-updates] globally.
npm install -g npm-check-updates
Run npm-check-updates with the -u or --upgrade flag to upgrade your package.json file.
ncu -u
For global packages, run with the -g flag.
ncu -g -u
Run with npx
Alternatively, use npx to run npm-check-updates without installing it globally.
npx npm-check-updates
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