How to configure npm package to auto-update

Question

I have made this package: https://www.npmjs.com/package/nestjs-notifications

When I run npm install nestjs-notifications --save it will install ok and add to the registry, but will save it as:

"nestjs-notifications": "0.0.10"

How do I configure it to so it will install with semantic version as:

"nestjs-notifications": "^0.0.10".

Currently I can't pick up the new version automatically, I have to manually change the version in package.json.

Edit: My pertinent config settings are as follows (essentially they're default). So it should be saving with a caret:

save = true
save-bundle = false
save-dev = false
save-exact = false
save-optional = false
save-prefix = "^"
save-prod = false
...

user_1611459 · Answer

What you're encountering is expected behavior. Installing any pkg with a 0.0.x semver doesn't get the default caret (^) prefix in package.json, nor will your package be updated.

In the npm docs for caret ranges it states:

"Allows changes that do not modify the left-most non-zero digit in the [major, minor, patch] tuple. In other words, this allows patch and minor updates for versions 1.0.0 and above, patch updates for versions 0.X >=0.1.0, and no updates for versions 0.0.X."

_{Note The bold emphasis in the excerpt (above) was added by me.}

Essentially once you've bumped your package's semver to >=0.1.0 only then will you begin to get the desired behavior.

Demonstration showing when the caret (^) IS and IS NOT added to package.json:

Install a version of a package that is <0.1.0. For demo purposes we'll install eslint version 0.0.7 by running the following command:
```
npm i eslint@0.0.7 --save
```
The preceding command adds the following to package.json:
```
"eslint": "0.0.7"
```
_{Note The caret (^) was not included.}
Now uninstall eslint by running the following command:
```
npm un eslint --save
```
Next install the first version available of eslint that is >=0.1.0, i.e run the following:
```
run npm i eslint@0.1.0 --save
```
This time the preceding command adds the following to package.json::
```
"eslint": "^0.1.0"
```
_{Note The caret (^) has been included.}

How to configure npm package to auto-update

1 Answers