javascript tutorial - [Solved-5 Solutions] Difference between titde(~) and caret(^) in package.json - javascript - java script - javascript array
Problem:
After we upgraded to latest stable node and npm, we tried npm install moment --save. It saves the entry in the package.json with the caret(^) prefix. Previously, it was a tilde(~) prefix.
- Why are these changes made in npm?
- What is the difference between tilde(~) and caret(^)?
- What is the advantages over others?
Solution 1:
- In the simplest terms, the tilde matches the most recent minor version (the middle number). ~1.2.3 will match all 1.2.x versions but will miss 1.3.0.
- The caret, on the other hand, is more relaxed. It will update we to the most recent major version (the first number). ^1.2.3 will match any 1.x.x release including 1.3.0, but will hold off on 2.0.0.
Solution 2:
We would like to add the official npmjs documentation as well which describes all methods for version specificity including the ones referred to in the question -
- ~version "Approximately equivalent to version" See npm semver - Tilde Ranges & semver (7)
- ^version "Compatible with version" See npm semver - Caret Ranges & semver (7)
- version Must match version exactly
- >version Must be greater than version
- >=version etc
- <version
- <=version
- 1.2.x 1.2.0, 1.2.1, etc., but not 1.3.0
- http://sometarballurl (this may be the URL of a tarball which will be downloaded and installed locally
- * Matches any version
- latest Obtains latest release
The above list is not exhaustive. Other version specifiers include GitHub urls and GitHub user repo's, local paths and packages with specific npm tags
Solution 2:
~ : Reasonably close to
~1.1.5: 1.1.0 <= accepted < 1.2.0click below button to copy the code. By JavaScript tutorial team
^: Compatible with
^1.1.5: 1.1.5 <= accepted < 2.0.0
^0.1.3: 0.1.3 <= accepted < 0.2.0
^0.0.4: 0.0.4 <= accepted < 0.1.0
click below button to copy the code. By JavaScript tutorial team
Solution 3:
- ^ is 1.[any].[any] (latest minor version)
- ~ is 1.2.[any] (latest patch)
Solution 4:
One liner explanation
The standard versioning system is major.minor.build (e.g. 2.4.1) npm checks and fixes the version of a particular package based on these characters
- ~ : major version is fixed, minor version is fixed, matches any build number
e.g. : ~2.4.1 means it will check for 2.4.x where x is anything
- ^ : major version is fixed, matches any minor version, matches any build number
e.g. : ^2.4.1 means it will check for 2.x.x where x is anything
Solution 5:
~ Tilde:
- ~ fixes major and minor numbers.
- It is used when you're ready to accept bug-fixes in our dependency, but don't want any potentially incompatible changes.
- The tilde matches the most recent minor version (the middle number).
- ~1.2.3 will match all 1.2.x versions, but it will miss 1.3.0.
- Tilde (~) gives we bug fix releases
^ Caret:
- ^ fixes the major number only.
- It is used when you're closely watching our dependencies and are ready to quickly change our code if minor release will be incompatible.
- It will update we to the most recent major version (the first number).
- ^1.2.3 will match any 1.x.x release including 1.3.0, but it will hold off on 2.0.0.
- Caret (^) gives we backwards-compatible new functionality as well.