I am importing a dependency in my package.json. That dependency has it's own package-lock.json file in which a the versions of its own dependencies are written. However, when I do my npm install ... --save, the version of the dependency's dependency is not the right one, npm is picking up the latest version. It seems to be ignoring the lock file that belongs to the dependency.
So my dependency contains this in it's package.json file: "ccxt": "^1.52.41". And in it's package-lock.json there is ... "ccxt": { "version": "1.52.41"....
When I add this dependency to my project, the version of ccxt that gets installed (the version in my lock file) is 1.52.94.
What am I doing wrong?
Using npm v6.14.13
Ok, so the package-lock files that belong to your dependencies are ignored by npm. This is by "design" apparently. So at npm install time, you will essentially get a totally random bunch of dependencies installed and added to your package-lock file. From that point on those dependencies are fixed by your lock file until you manually update them using the npm command line.
This means that if you are unlucky and install at a 'bad' time, like I did, then you will pick up some completely untested code that could be broken and/or incompatible with its parent project or your project.
Related
I updated my Angular project with npm and for some reason package.json and package-lock.json was not updated accordingly. So the question is, do I have to update them manually, or is there a way to update these files according to the actual versions in node_modules?
I tried npm init but that gives me a very big package.json containing every package in node_modules. Therefore I would prefer something that updates each entry in package.json according to what is actually installed.
I had a similar problem, where not all of the needed modules in node_modules were "required" (directly or indirectly) by package.json, so every time I installed something using npm install, it also removed a whole bunch of modules.
My solution wasn't a very satisfactory one, but it did the trick:
Renamed my package-lock.json file and package.json files to keep them safe but out of the way.
Used npm init as you mentioned, to create a version of package.json that contained all of the modules in node_modules.
Moved that out of the way but kept it for reference.
Renamed node_modules to something else to keep it safe but out of the way.
Created a brand new package.json file, again using npm init, but which had no dependencies because there was now no node_modules directory.
Went through my source files finding every dependency require statement, and did an npm --save install package#version on each. I got the package name from the require and then found it in the complete package.json (from steps 2 and 3) and used the version number from that to ensure it matched what was there before. (I've got some legacy code with out-of-date modules, which is why I wanted specific versions.)
Now, my package.json file is minimal, but when I run npm install, everything is up to date.
What is the exact use of package.lock.json file? I have read about it but it's confusing.
Let's say I do npm install so that it will create a package.lock.json file, and the next time when I do npm install, will it retain installation of the same packages as it was mentioned in the package.lock.json file?
Let's say I have a package version defined as "^1.0.0" in my package.json file and a new version becomes available in the npm registry. Will it update the package when I do npm install, or will it keep the same as what was there in the package.json?
Is there any easy way to update the package.json file with the exact no of package version without manually updating it one by one? I want to keep maintain the version of the package the same so that next time anybody does npm install, they should get exactly the same package. It's need for a release branch
Actually I need what was the original definition of package.lock.json file but I found inconsistency in its behavior.
I tried using NPM CI but it fails with error node_gyp needs python https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp/issues/1977
What is the exact use of package.lock.json file?
Ans: The file is used to describe the exact tree that was generated initially, that is the version of the dependency that was used initially to install (NOTE: It will always be modified if package.json or node_modules are modified by npm)
source: https://docs.npmjs.com/configuring-npm/package-lock-json.html
Now coming to your specific questions :
Let's say I do npm install so that it will create a package.lock.json file, and the next time when I do npm install, will it retain installation of the same packages as it was mentioned in the package.lock.json file?
The simple answer here is: Yes
When you do npm install initially, you specify the package name. npm will create node_modules folder and package-lock.json file and the entry of the package with the version that was used to install will be added. next time when you do npm install, without specifying the package it will not update any of your package even with the caret (^) symbol because this time npm will look at the package-lock.json file (as it is present there) and it will install the same version that is specified in the (package-lock.json) file.
Let's say I have a package version defined as "^1.0.0" in my package.json file and a new version becomes available in the npm registry. Will it update the package when I do npm install, or will it keep the same as what was there in the package.json?
As explained in first question, it will not, if the package-lock.json is present in the directory. Updating of the package will only happen if package-lock.json file and node_modules folder are not present in the directory.
Is there any easy way to update the package.json file with the exact no of package version without manually updating it one by one? I want to keep maintain the version of the package the same so that next time anybody does npm install, they should get exactly the same package. It's need for a release branch
It is a good practice to use npm ci, but you can also use npm update, this will update the dependencies to its latest minor version, and your package.json as well as package-lock.json file will also be updated
For the production, its preferred way to use the same version of dependencies that was used initially. In this case it is better to have package-lock.json file, so in case of dockerizing application when you do npm install it will install the dependencies with versions that are used in package-lock.json
My project depends on analytics-node which has a dependency on axios: "^0.16.2".
We have been flagged with npm audit that axios has a vulnerability in it but its fixed in 0.18.1.
However, analytics-node has no release candidate (only beta) which depends on 0.18.1 or higher.
We have tried:
npm audit fix,
npm update axios --depth 2,
npm install axios#0.18.1
The part I am most confused about is why doesnt npm allow us to override analytics-node version of axios given that the version should be compatible.
npm-force-resolutions specifically fixes transitive dependency version resolutions for this exact reason.
It would be nicer if there was a supported way to do this with package-lock.json though.
NPM 8 introduced "overrides" which allows you to override specific transitive dependencies of your direct dependency. For your usecase, you would declare something like below in your package.json.
{
"overrides": {
"analytics-node": {
"axios": "0.18.1"
}
}
}
More details # https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v8/configuring-npm/package-json#overrides
To bump (i.e. update) a transitive dependency in a package-lock.json file, you can use the npm command line interface (CLI). To update a transitive dependency, you will first need to identify the package that you want to update. Then, you can use the following steps:
Navigate to your project directory in the terminal and run the npm ls command to list all of the dependencies in your project, including transitive dependencies. This will show you the full dependency tree, with each package and its dependencies listed in a hierarchical structure.
Find the package that you want to update in the dependency tree, and note the version number of the transitive dependency that you want to update.
Run the npm install command, followed by the name and version of the package that you want to update, in the following format: npm install <package-name>#<version>. This will update the specified package to the specified version.
Run the npm ls command again to verify that the transitive dependency has been updated. You should see the new version number for the package listed in the dependency tree.
If you want to save the updated dependency in your package-lock.json file, run the npm shrinkwrap or npm update command, depending on which version of npm you are using. This will update the package-lock.json file to reflect the updated transitive dependency.
Note: Bumping a transitive dependency in package-lock.json can potentially cause conflicts or other issues if the updated dependency is not compatible with your project's dependencies. It is recommended to carefully review the dependencies and their versions before updating any packages.
What happens differently when you go into your package.json and paste a package name in and do npm i vs. doing it the real npm i package-name?
package.json:
"dep": 1.0.0
vs
npm i dep --save
We have a build error and learned can bypass it by pasting. I know it isn't kosher but I really want to know why and what consequences that causes?
npm install dep doesn't add the dependency to the package.json file.
You have to add --save or --save-dev to add it to the package.json file.
Besides that, npm install will always serve you the latest build (in most cases the version tagged as latest (see npm docs)), unless you specify a specific version.
If you want your lock file to update, you have to delete the file before running npm install to generate a lock file with the dependency included (for more info check out this GitHub issue)
In conclussion it shouldn't make much of a difference if you manually add the dependency to package.json file and install it with npm install, unless the latest version of your dependency is broken.
I have an npm package with a fixed version that has an update.
Example package.json extract:
devDependencies: {
"someFixedVersionPackage": "1.0.0", //1.1.0 is latest
"anotherFixedVersionPackage": "2.3.2", //2.3.4 is latest
}
Does an npm command exist which installs the latest version of that package and updates the package.json, preferably all packages at once?
To be clear, I want the package.json snippet above to be updated to this, in addition to the packages themselves being updated:
devDependencies: {
"someFixedVersionPackage": "1.1.0", //latest
"anotherFixedVersionPackage": "2.3.4", //latest
}
Thank you.
Why doesn't npm update work here?
As per the documentation on npm update:
This command will update all the packages listed to the latest version (specified by the tag config), respecting semver.
It will also install missing packages. As with all commands that install packages, the --dev flag will cause devDependencies to be processed as well.
Since your packages are defined with a fixed version, the update sub-command will not update those to respect semantic versioning. Therefore, it will only automatically update your packages if you specify a greater version range for each package. Note that it is actually typical in an npm project to specify a loose range version; one that is meant to avoid breaking changes but still leaves room for improvements and fixes.
Still, why shouldn't I fix dependency versions in my package.json?
But they are fixed because I wanted them so. After testing newer versions, I want to update them via command line as were created.
Having a list of dependencies with a fixed version does not mean that the dependencies installed will always be the same, because the dependencies of your dependencies will most likely also be defined with a version range. In order to keep track of a list of tested version-tagged dependencies, npm provides another mechanism: package locks.
Before version 5 of npm, you can create a "npm-shrinkwrap.json" file with the shrinkwrap command:
npm shrinkwrap
This command locks down the versions of a package's dependencies so that you can control exactly which versions of each dependency will be used when your package is installed.
Since npm 5, a "package-lock.json" is automatically generated when an npm operation modifies the "node_modules" tree or "package.json".
Rather than modifying package.json, either one of these package locks will override the default behaviour of npm install, installing dependencies with the versions specified by the lock, right when they were created or manually updated. With that out of the way, your dependencies can now be expanded without the risk of dependents installing untested package versions.
Shrinkwraps are used for publishing packages. To shrinkwrap a package:
Run npm install in the package root to install the current versions of all dependencies.
Validate that the package works as expected with these versions.
Run npm shrinkwrap, add npm-shrinkwrap.json to git, and publish your package.
At this point, dependency versions can be loosened in your package.json (this will hopefully be done only once every major dependency update), so that later on they can be updated at will with npm update:
"devDependencies": {
"someFixedVersionPackage": "^1.0.0",
"anotherFixedVersionPackage": "^2.3.2",
}
The package-lock.json file can be used instead of a shrinkwrap, and is more suitable for reproducing a development environment. It should also be committed to the repository.
So how do I update my dependencies?
Calling npm update will do what's mentioned above: update dependencies while respecting semantic versioning. To add or upgrade a dependency in a package:
Run npm install in the package root to install the current versions of all dependencies.
Add or update dependencies. npm install --save each new or updated package individually to update the package.json, as well as the existing package locks ("package-lock.json" and "npm-shrinkwrap.json"). Note that they must be explicitly named in order to be installed: running npm install with no arguments will merely reproduce the locked dependencies.
Validate that the package works as expected with the new dependencies.
Commit the new package locks.
Moreover, here are a few tips for a smooth transition from a project with fixed dependencies:
If you haven't done so, expand the version range by adding a tilde (~) before the version specifier, or a caret (^). npm update will then attempt to install all patch revisions and minor revisions, respectively (major version 0 is a corner-case, see the documentation). For instance, "^1.0.0" can now be updated to "^1.1.0", and "~2.3.2" can be updated to "~2.3.4". Adding the --save or --save-dev flags will also update the "package.json" with the installed version (while keeping the previous range specifiers).
Run npm outdated to check which packages are outdated. Entries in red will be updated automatically with npm update. Other entries will require a manual intervention.
For packages with major version bumps, install that package with a version specification (e.g. npm install browserify#11.2.0 --save-dev). Further issues that may arise with the update will have to be handled manually. It usually helps to read the news feed or the release history on that package to further understand what has changed from previous versions.
This is not simple enough, is there another way to do this?
Before continuing, it is always worth mentioning that packages have a SemVer-compliant version definition for a reason. One should avoid blindly installing the latest version of every single package. Although such a full update can be done and tools are available for that, some caution is advised. For instance, you would not want to install React 15 if the remaining React components and libraries are not compatible with react#15.x.x. See also npm's blog post: Why use SemVer?
I'll take my chances. What other tools are there?
To name a few:
npm-check-updates will do what was initially asked in the question: install and update the versions of all dependencies, regardless of the given range constraint. This would be the least recommended tool for the job, however.
updtr will update dependencies one by one and roll back to the previous version if the project's tests fail, which may save time in projects with good test coverage.
npm-check provides an interactive command-line interface, which allows you to easily select which packages to update.
Is this any different with npm 5?
Since major version 5, npm will automatically create a "package-lock.json", which will fill the role of specifying the dependency tree when a shrinkwrap does not exist. A more detailed description can be found in the package-locks documentation. In general, npm-shrinkwrap.json is meant to be used when publishing, whereas package-lock.json is to be used in development. This is why you should also commit "package-lock.json" to the repository.
What about with Yarn?
Yarn, an npm-compatible dependency manager, creates a lock file automatically on use, which behaves similarly to the npm shrinkwrap. Calling yarn upgrade «package» will update one dependency to the version in the latest tag, regardless of the version range recorded in the package.json or the lock file. Using yarn upgrade-interactive also allows you to selectively upgrade packages to the latest version, not unlike npm-check.
$ yarn outdated
yarn outdated v0.16.1
Package Current Wanted Latest
babel-eslint 7.0.0 7.0.0 7.1.0
chai 3.0.0 3.0.0 3.5.0
Done in 0.84s.
$ yarn upgrade babel-eslint chai
yarn upgrade v0.16.1
[1/4] Resolving packages...
[2/4] Fetching packages...
[3/4] Linking dependencies...
[4/4] Building fresh packages...
success Saved lockfile.
success Saved 2 new dependencies.
├─ babel-eslint#7.1.0
└─ chai#3.5.0
Running the following command will do what you want:
npm install someFixedVersionPackage#latest anotherFixedVersionPackage#latest --save-dev --save-exact
Breakdown:
npm install someFixedVersionPackage#latest will install the latest version of the package
The --save-dev flag will cause it to update the version in your package.json's devDependencies
The --save-exact flag will cause it to save a fixed version instead of a semver range operator
Link to the npm install docs
I've been looking for an easy way to update npm dependencies for a long time. Then I found this tool: https://github.com/dylang/npm-check
It shows you which dependencies are out of date in a nice ui and allows you to update them. It even tells you which ones are likely to break due to major changes and warns you of unused dependencies.