Version Updates

Keeping your PackShip projects up to date is important for security, performance, and access to new features. This guide explains how to update PackShip and manage version updates in your projects.

Updating PackShip

To update PackShip to the latest version, run the following command:

npm install -g packship@latest

For MacOS and Linux users, you might need to use sudo:

sudo npm install -g packship@latest

Checking Your Current Version

To check which version of PackShip you currently have installed, run:

packship --version

Version Numbering

PackShip follows semantic versioning (SemVer) with version numbers in the format of MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH:

MAJOR version increments indicate incompatible API changes
MINOR version increments indicate new functionality in a backward-compatible manner
PATCH version increments indicate backward-compatible bug fixes

Updating Project Dependencies

To update the dependencies in your PackShip project, you can use npm's update command:

npm update

This will update all packages listed in your package.json to the latest version that satisfies the version range specified in the file.

Updating to Latest Major Versions

To update packages to their latest major versions (which might include breaking changes), you can use the npm-check-updates tool:

# Install the tool
npm install -g npm-check-updates

# Check for updates
ncu

# Apply updates to package.json
ncu -u

# Install updated packages
npm install

Always review the changes before updating to major versions, as they might include breaking changes that require code modifications.

Updating Specific Packages

To update a specific package to its latest version:

npm update package-name

To update a specific package to a specific version:

npm install package-name@version

Handling Breaking Changes

When updating to a new major version of PackShip or its dependencies, you might encounter breaking changes. Here are some tips for handling them:

Always read the release notes or changelog before updating
Create a backup or use version control before making significant updates
Update one major dependency at a time to isolate issues
Run tests after each update to catch issues early

Managing package-lock.json

The package-lock.json file ensures that the same dependencies are installed consistently across different environments. When updating dependencies, the lock file will be updated automatically.

If you encounter issues with the lock file, you can regenerate it:

# Remove the lock file
rm package-lock.json

# Reinstall dependencies and generate a new lock file
npm install

Always commit the updated package-lock.json file to your version control system to ensure consistent builds across your team.

Troubleshooting Update Issues

Dependency Conflicts

If you encounter dependency conflicts during updates, you can try using the --legacy-peer-deps flag:

npm install --legacy-peer-deps

Clearing npm Cache

Sometimes, clearing the npm cache can resolve update issues:

npm cache clean --force

Reinstalling Node Modules

If all else fails, you can try removing the node_modules directory and reinstalling all dependencies:

# Remove node_modules
rm -rf node_modules

# Reinstall dependencies
npm install

Babel

Migration Guide