Dependency Version Checker

Six patterns: exact versions (4.17.21 — reproducible but no security patches), caret (^18.2.0 — allows minor/patch updates), tilde (~1.2.3 — patch-only, conservative), wildcard (* or latest — anything goes, high risk), version ranges (>=27 <30), and URL/Git dependencies (github:org/repo — not version-pinned).

Semver convention says 0.x versions are pre-stable. The semver spec states that the minor version may include breaking changes when major is 0. So ^0.21.0 allows any 0.x.y update, and those can break your code. Libraries like Axios used 0.x for years during active API churn.

Caret (^) locks the leftmost non-zero digit: ^1.2.3 allows up to <2.0.0, ^0.2.3 allows up to <0.3.0. Tilde (~) locks to the patch range: ~1.2.3 allows >=1.2.3 <1.3.0. Tilde is more conservative and better for production where you want minimal unexpected changes.

Exact versions give fully reproducible installs but require manual updates — you will miss security patches. Ranges (^ or ~) with a lockfile (package-lock.json or yarn.lock) are the most common production approach: ranges allow flexibility, the lockfile pins exact resolved versions. Always commit your lockfile.

Dependencies like 'github:org/repo#main' resolve to a branch tip at install time. There is no semver contract — a push to that branch can silently break your build. Use Git tags or commit SHAs (github:org/repo#v1.2.3) if you must use a Git source.

No — this tool analyzes version range patterns and risk level from your package.json without making network calls. It does not query the npm registry. To check for actual outdated packages, run 'npm outdated' or 'npx npm-check-updates' in your terminal.