npm-ls

Print all versions of direct dependencies to stdout

$ npm ls

$ npm ls [[-a|--all]]

$ npm ls [[-l|--long]]

$ npm ls [[-p|--parseable]]

$ npm ls --json

npm ls [] npm ls -g []

    Optional. If specified, lists only the matching packages. Supports name@version, where version can be a semver range.

-g, --global
    Lists globally installed packages instead of packages in the current project.

--depth
    Sets the maximum depth of the dependency tree to display. Defaults to `Infinity`.

--json
    Outputs the dependency tree in JSON format.

--long
    Displays extended information about the packages.

--parseable
    Outputs in a parseable format (e.g., space-separated paths).

--all
    Show all outdated dependencies

--omit
    Omit packages that are of the specified type. Valid values: "dev", "optional", "peer" (can specify multiple with comma delimited string).

--include
    Include packages that are of the specified type. Valid values: "dev", "optional", "peer" (can specify multiple with comma delimited string).

--link
    List linked packages.

The `npm ls` command is used to list the installed versions of all npm packages in a project. It displays the dependency tree, showing the hierarchy of packages and their dependencies. This command helps developers understand the structure of their project's dependencies, identify potential conflicts, and verify that the correct versions of packages are installed. The output provides valuable insights into the overall health and organization of a Node.js project. You can run `npm ls` in a project directory to see all the installed packages and their dependencies, or you can use it globally (`npm ls -g`) to see the globally installed packages. This is particularly useful for managing globally installed command-line tools. The command's output helps debug issues related to dependency versions and conflicts, contributing to the overall stability and maintainability of the project.

The output of `npm ls` can be very verbose for projects with many dependencies. Consider using the `--depth` option to limit the output.

npm ls exits with a code of 0 if it completes successfully. It exits with a non-zero code if it encounters errors, such as missing dependencies or invalid package configurations.

npm ls highlights dependency conflicts in the output. This allows developers to quickly identify and resolve version mismatches that could lead to runtime errors.

The `npm ls` command has been a core part of npm since its early days. It was designed to provide a way to inspect the dependency tree of Node.js projects. Over time, its functionality has been extended with options like `--depth`, `--json`, and `--global` to provide more control over the output and scope of the listing. It continues to be a fundamental tool for Node.js developers to manage and understand their dependencies.

npm(1), npm-install(1), npm-uninstall(1), npm-update(1)