NPM How to Update Package [Guide] 📘

In this complete guide you will learn: NPM how to update package.

Here I’ve covered the following cases of updating npm packages:

• update npm package to latest version
• update npm package to specific version
• update global npm package(s)
• update npm package to major version (release)
• update npm package to minor version

In this article you will learn everything you need to know to successfully update your npm package 😊

How to update NPM package to the latest version?

// npm how to update package

npm install <package-name>@latest

Example:

npm install lodash@latest

In that case lodash npm package will updated to the latest version.

How to update NPM package to a specific version?

// npm how to update package

npm install <package-name>@<version>

Example:

npm install lodash@3.0.0

In that case lodash npm package will be updated to the version 3.0.0

How to update global npm package(s)?

// npm how to update package

To update a specific global npm package use the following command:

npm update -g <package-name>

It will update to ‘Wanted‘ version.

If you need to update all global npm packages use the command below:

npm update -g

How to update npm package to major version (release)?

// npm how to update package

To update a npm package to a major release use the following command:

npm install <package-name>@<version>

// <version> must be integer (ex: 3,5,16, etc.)

For instance you have installed React library version 15.7.0. And you need to upgrade to version 16.

Type the following command into terminal:

npm install react@16

p.s. it will update React to the version 16, but not necessarily 16.0.0. It may be, for example, 16.14.0.

How to update npm package to minor version?

// npm how to update package

To update a npm package to a minor version you can use a variety of combinations allowed in npm versions syntax:

Install a version of the package matching the specified version range.

npm install <package-name>@">={from-version} <{to-version}"

Example:

npm install lodash@">=3.0.3 <3.2.0"

3 NMP Commands You Can’t Ignore

// npm update package

Before performing any npm package updates, a developer have to conduct packages’ version audit. This measure will help prevent breaking the whole app.

1️⃣ npm list

// npm update package

npm list

This command will show a list of all npm packages in project and their versions.

npm list is a command which lists the dependencies of a project, including the version number and the location of the installed package. It provides a way to check the installed packages and their versions, making it easier to manage dependencies in your project.

By default, the npm list command will show the dependencies of the current project, but it can also be run for specific packages and in global mode to show all installed packages.

2️⃣ npm outdate

// npm update package

npm outdated

The result of this command is a table view of each package’s version overview.

npm outdated command is a tool in npm that shows a list of the packages in a project that have updates available. It compares the version of each installed package with the latest version available in the npm registry and outputs a list of packages that are out of date.

This can be useful for checking if any of the dependencies in a project have updates available that could fix bugs, provide new features, or improve security.

The npm outdated command is a valuable tool for developers to keep their projects up to date and to ensure they are using the latest and most secure packages.

This is an important information to consider.

Current version – is the one you have installed.

Wanted version – is the highest version of the package that can be fetched according to what you declared in package.json.

Latest version – the latest version available on the npm’s registry.

3️⃣ npm audit

// npm update package

npm audit

This command command is a tool in npm that scans the packages in a project for vulnerabilities and other security issues. It analyzes the dependencies of a project and checks for known vulnerabilities in those packages and their versions.

The audit command generates a report detailing any vulnerabilities found and offers suggestions for resolving the issues. The goal of the audit command is to help developers identify and fix security problems in their dependencies before they can be exploited by attackers.

npm update command

// npm update package to latest

npm update updates the specified package to the latest version, as defined by the version range in the package’s package.json and package-lock.json files.

This command will never update to a major breaking-changes version.

It will use the “wanted” version.

npm update <package-name>

Example #1️⃣:

// npm update package to latest

How to update single npm package?

npm update lodash

This command will update lodash npm package to “Wanted” version.

npm update lodash

Example #2️⃣:

// npm update package to latest

How to update all npm packages?

npm update

This command will update ALL npm packages used in project to “Wanted” versions.

Semantic Versioning

// npm update package to latest

Semantic versioning (SemVer) is a versioning system used by npm and other package managers. In SemVer, versions are defined as MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH, where:

• MAJOR version is incremented when there are breaking changes in the API.
• MINOR version is incremented when new features are added without breaking existing features.
• PATCH version is incremented when bug fixes are made without breaking existing functionality or adding new features.

Example: 1.2.3 represents:

Major version 1, minor version 2, and patch version 3.

npm versions [Cheatsheet]

// npm update package version

Frequently Asked Questions

// npm update package version

What to do next?

// npm how to update package

You can check out variety of real life Javascript Projects here.

Resources

// npm how to update package

1️⃣ jssecrets.com

2️⃣ npm official documentation