Switch Package Manager

• Getting Started
  • Prerequisites
  • Installing
• swpm
• swpx
• Alias
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• About

When switching between JavaScript projects, it's often easy to forget which package manager should be used. JavaScript package managers aren't quite compatible either and each one resolves dependencies differently, so accidentally installing with npm could cause a yarn (classic or berry), pnpm or bun project to break.

swpm is a CLI that intends to solve this problem by unifying the most used commands for the most common Node Package Managers into one. It will recognize the Package Manager used on the project and automatically will translate those commands.

This is an example of how #swpm works. The same command, no matter the package manager used on the project.

Note: We will start with most used command, then other commands will be added gradually. Track the command progress implementation on CHEATSHEET.

Progress: 90% of commands included.

What things you need to install?

• node.js

Install as global with any of this package managers

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The swpm will run the command switching automatically searching for the lock file or the pinned Package Manager.

swpm [<command>] [args] [FLAGS]

With swpm --help it will show a command help resume.

swpm [<command>] [args] [FLAGS]

Commands:
  swpm install [args]            install packages from package.json [aliases: i]
  swpm add <package> [args]      add package                        [aliases: a]
  swpm remove <package> [args]   remove package  [aliases: r, rm, uninstall, un]
  swpm update <package> [args]   update package                [aliases: up, ud]
  swpm upgrade <package> [args]  upgrade package to latest         [aliases: ug]
  swpm interactive [args]        update packages interactive       [aliases: ui]
  swpm open [resource] [args]    open in the file explore or browser[aliases: o]
  swpm clean [args]              clean packages                     [aliases: c]

Options:
  -u, --use    use a package manager
                           [choices: "npm", "yarn@classic", "yarn@berry", "pnpm", "bun"]
  -p, --pin    pin a package manager
                           [choices: "npm", "yarn@classic", "yarn@berry", "pnpm", "bun"]
      --unpin  unpin current package manager
  -t, --test   test command (without running)
                           [choices: "npm", "yarn@classic", "yarn@berry", "pnpm", "bun"]
  -m, --mute   mute command translation
      --alias  show command alias                                      [boolean]
      --info   show information and versions                           [boolean]
      --help   Show help                                               [boolean]

By default, will install all modules listed as dependencies in package.json.

swpm install [args]

Alias: i

This command installs a package and any packages that it depends on. If the package has a lock file, the installation of dependencies will be driven by that.

Warning: The --package-lock argument is not available on bun Package Manager.

This command, no arguments, will add a package to local package.json file. Package will appear as dependencies by default.

swpm add <package> [args]

Alias: a

swpm add <package> saves any specified packages into dependencies by default. Additionally, you can control where and how they get saved with some additional flags:

This command, no arguments, will remove a package to local package.json file. Package will be removed as dependencies by default.

swpm remove <package> [args]

Aliases: r, rm, uninstall, un

This command will update all the packages listed to the latest version (specified by the tag config), respecting the semver constraints of both your package and its dependencies (if they also require the same package). It will also install missing packages.

swpm update [<package>] [args]

Aliases: up, ud

It will not made modifications on package.json file

This command will upgrade the packages to the latest version, ignoring ranges specified in package.json.

It will save new version on package.json file

swpm upgrade <package> [args]

Alias: ug

Warning: This command is not available on bun Package Manager.

Show outdated dependencies and select which ones to upgrade.

swpm interactive [args]

Alias: ui

Warning: This command is not available on npm and bun Package Manager.

This command does not exist in the package managers, but is a common task open a path or urls related to the project in the file explorer or browser.

swpm open [resource] [args]

Alias: o

Info: Those --git flags are compatible with GitHub, GitLab and BitBucket.

Examples:

Assuming that the current path is /path/to/project, with --explorer it will open the path in the file explorer:

Assuming the current branch is new-feat, with --diff will open the diff comparison in the browser:

Assuming you have generated a coverage report, with --coverage it will open the report in the browser:

Assuming that the property name in package.json file is swpm, with --npm will open the package on npmjs.com:

This command does not exist in the package managers, but is one of the most repetitive tasks, deleting files and folders. Very useful, for example, in scenarios where you want to change completely the Package Manager.

swpm clean [args]

Alias: c

--fresh is a good choice when you want to clean the project and reinstall all packages again with swpm install --frozen and preserving the lock files intact. --all is a good choice when you want to clean the project and migrate to a different Package Manager or reinstalling all packages and create/update the lock files.

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There are commands that don't need the swpm translation tool, because share the same structure as all package managers.

init or create can be used to set up a new or existing package.

swpm init [--yes]
swpm create <name> [<args>]

To run these commands in a path where a package.json didn't exist add the flag --use <npm|yarn[@berry|@classic]|pnpm|bun> at the end or setup an SWPM environment variable.

Login and logout to https://www.npmjs.com/. Commonly used when you need to publish or admin packages.

swpm login
swpm logout

To run these commands in a path where a package.json didn't exist add the flag --use <npm|yarn[@berry|@classic]|pnpm|bun> at the end or setup an SWPM environment variable.

This runs an arbitrary command from a package's "scripts" object. If no "command" is provided, it will list the available scripts.

swpm run <command> [<args>]
swpm test
swpm build

You can run test and build "scripts" without the run prefix.

Commands to pack, publish, unpublish or deprecate a package on https://www.npmjs.com/.

swpm pack
swpm pack --pack-destination <path>
swpm publish
swpm unpublish <package>
swpm deprecate <package> <message>

See the local configuration, or setup default values.

swpm config list
swpm config set <key> <value>

Example:

swpm config set save-exact true
swpm config set save-prefix '~'

To run these commands in a path where a package.json didn't exist add the flag --use <npm|yarn[@berry|@classic]|pnpm|bun> at the end.

outdated will check the registry to see if any (or, specific) installed packages are currently outdated.

swpm outdated [<package>] [--global]

To run this commands in a path where a package.json didn't exist with flag --global add the flag --use <npm|yarn[@berry|@classic]|pnpm|bun> at the end or setup an SWPM environment variable.

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The swpx will execute the command switching automatically to the pinned Package Manager without previous installing the package.

swpx [<command>] [FLAGS]

With swpx --help it will show a command help resume.

swpx [<command>] [FLAGS]

Options:
  -u, --use    use a package manager
                           [choices: "npm", "yarn@classic", "yarn@berry", "pnpm", "bun"]
  -t, --test   test command (without running)
                           [choices: "npm", "yarn@classic", "yarn@berry", "pnpm", "bun"]
  -m, --mute   mute command translation
      --alias  show command alias                                      [boolean]
      --info   show information and versions                           [boolean]
      --help   Show help                                               [boolean]

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Quick and short aliases for swpm and swpx commands.

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Flags are important to swpm and swpx because can modify or set his behavior.

The <swpm|swpx> --use flag allows you to choose your Package Manager for a project.

swpm <command> [args] --use <npm|yarn[@berry|@classic]|pnpm|bun>
swpx <command> [args] -u <npm|yarn[@berry|@classic]|pnpm|bun>

It will run the command using the selected Package Manager, no matter the swpm property in your package.json.

Info: Previously it will ask to run the set command when use yarn: yarn set version classic for yarn@classic yarn set version stable for yarn@berry

The swpm --pin flag allows you to choose your Package Manager for a project.

swpm --pin <npm|yarn[@berry|@classic]|pnpm|bun>
swpm -p <npm|yarn[@berry|@classic]|pnpm|bun>

It will store the pinned Package Manager in the package.json file, so you can commit your choice of tools to version control:

{
+ "swpm": "<package-manager-name>"
}

Info: Additionally it will ask to run the set command when pin yarn: yarn set version classic for yarn@classic yarn set version stable for yarn@berry

You also can set it manually. Just take care writing a valid Package Manager: npm, yarn[@berry|@classic], pnpm or bun. And also remember to run the set command for yarn projects.

The swpm --unpin flag allows you to remove the current pinned Package Manager for a project.

swpm --unpin

It will remove the pinned Package Manager in the package.json file.

The <swpm|swpx> --test flag show the equivalent command using the selected Package Manager, but it will not run the command

swpm <command> [args] --test <npm|yarn[@berry|@classic]|pnpm|bun>
swpm <command> [args] -t <npm|yarn[@berry|@classic]|pnpm|bun>
swpx <command> -t <npm|yarn[@berry|@classic]|pnpm|bun>

It will show the command using the selected Package Manager, no matter the swpm property in your package.json.

The <swpm|swpx> --mute flag hide the package manager command translation.

swpm <command> [args] --mute
swpx <command> [args] --mute

The <swpm|swpx> --alias flag show the command aliases available.

swpm --alias
swpx --alias

The <swpm|swpx> --info flag show the current Package Manager used and some versions information.

swpm --info
swpx --info

It will search firs the swpm property on the package.json file, and if doesn't not found it, will try to infer the Package Manager in use with help of the lock's file.

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You can set a default or global pin Package Manager in order to avoid the --use flag on paths where no exist a package.json or --pin flag on each project.

Create an SWPM environment variable with one of this values <npm|yarn[@berry|@classic]|pnpm|bun>.

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swpm and swpx search some characteristics following this order.

The <package> parameter should follow one of these structures:

[<@scope>/]<name>
[<@scope>/]<name>@<tag>
[<@scope>/]<name>@<version>
[<@scope>/]<name>@<version range>
<alias>@npm:<name>
<git-host>:<git-user>/<repo-name>
<git repo url>
<tarball file>
<tarball url>
<folder>

swpm is compatible with monorepos. You can run it from any subdirectory and it will search upwards until it finds the closest package.json and lock file.

swpm is not restrictive, if a command translations was not included yet, you can write the command as the package manager expect, then swpm will try to infer the package manager and preserve the rest of the command and arguments without changes and run them.

But, if you found one of this cases, please open a command compatibility issue.

A minimalistic solution focus only in the most common used commands:

• antfu/ni use the right package manager

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• VS Code - Code editing redefined.
• TypeScript - JavaScript With Syntax For Types.
• WSL - Windows Subsystem for Linux.
• Windows Terminal - A modern terminal application for users of command-line tools and shells.
• Node.js - A JavaScript runtime built on Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine.
• ESLint - Find and fix problems in your JavaScript code.
• vitest - A blazing fast unit-test framework powered by Vite ⚡️.
• Codeium - Free AI code completion and chat.

• Chalk - Terminal string styling done right.
• command-exists - node module to check if a command-line command exists.
• common-tags - A set of well-tested, commonly used template literal tag functions for use in ES2015+.
• find-up - Find a file or directory by walking up parent directories.
• open - Open stuff like URLs, files, executables. Cross-platform.
• prompts - Lightweight, beautiful and user-friendly interactive prompts
• semver - The semantic versioner for npm.
• spinnies create and manage multiple spinners in CLI progrags
• update-notifier - Update notifications for your CLI app.
• Yargs - Yargs be a node.js library fer hearties tryin' ter parse optstrings.

Please read CONTRIBUTING for details on our code of conduct, and the process for submitting pull requests to us.

We use SemVer for versioning. For the versions available, see the swpm on GitHub.

If you want to help, spread the word of swpm in a project or web, please use this BRAND's images.

• Camilo Martinez [Equiman]

See also the list of contributors who participated in this project.

If this project helps you, consider buying me a cup of coffee.

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

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