TL;DR
| Syntax | Versions | Dependency | Impacts |
|---|---|---|---|
| tilde (~) | 1.6.X | ~1.6.7 | only bug fix can be upgrade |
| caret(^) | 1.X.X | ^1.6.7 | backwards compatible, deprecated and operational functionally, refactors, bug fix |
- Tilde (~): Use it for libraries where stability is crucial. Example: express framework.
- Caret (^): Use it for libraries where you want to benefit from new features and bug fixes. Example: Jest, Prettier.
SEMVER
SemVer is a convention, not a law. What happens when each number changes:
- Major: Something big has changed, and previous versions maybe will not work.
- Minor: New features or improvements, things should still work mostly the same.
- Patch: Solves small issues without changing the structure.
Tilde (~)
- Only allows patch updates.
- Useful for getting the latest bug fixes and security patches while maintaining stability.
- Use it for libraries where stability is crucial. Example: express framework.
Caret (^)
- Allow both minor and patch updates.
- Useful for staying up-to-date with new features and improvements, however, we have a risk of potentially breaking changes.
- Use it for libraries where you want to benefit from new features and bug fixes. Example: Jest, Prettier.
How to update my dependencies?
npm outdated
This command will scan your code for outdated packages compare with the latest version in the npm registry and no extra downloads needed because it is built into npm.
npm update
This command will update the dependencies in package.json and package-lock.json using the "wanted" version.
Resources
Semantic Versioning 2.0.0
Node.js - Peer Dependencies
Node.js - An introduction to the npm package manager
Thanks to masahiro miyagi @masamasa3 for making this photo available on Unsplash 🎁
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