Caret vs Tilde in package.json

Organizing content I was curious about

Reference: blog.outsider.ne.kr

tilde (~)

: Approximately equivalent to version

• Automatically updates only within the range of the last digit of the currently specified version

• When you use npm install MODULE_NAME --save or npm install MODULE_NAME --save-dev to automatically add dependencies to package.json, the default method used is the tilde(~) approach

• ex)

  • ~0.0.1 : >=0.0.1 <0.1.0

  • ~0.1.1 : >=0.1.1 <0.2.0

  • ~0.1 : >=0.1.0 <0.2.0

  • ~0 : >=0.0 <1.0

• When the version is specified in various ways, it automatically updates within the ranges shown above

caret (^)

: Compatible with version

• To explain Caret, you first need to know about Semantic Versioning (SemVer)

  • Node.js and all npm modules follow SemVer

• Meaning of npm version

  ```
  {MAJOR}.{MINOR}.{PATCH}
  ```
  
  - MAJOR: When there are changes that break backward compatibility
  - MINOR: When adding functionality while maintaining backward compatibility
  - PATCH: When fixing bugs while maintaining backward compatibility

• Caret(^) operates under the assumption that the Node.js module follows SemVer

  • Therefore, MINOR or PATCH versions should maintain backward compatibility, so they are updated

    • ex)

      • ^1.0.2 : >=1.0.2 <2.0

      • ^1.0 : >=1.0.0 <2.0

      • ^1 : >=1.0.0 <2.0

  • Comparing with Tilde, the difference is clear: since backward compatibility is guaranteed within 1.x.x, it means it will update everything within that range

Wrap-up

• ~version

  • Approximately equivalent to version

  • Updates future PATCHes without increasing the MINOR version

  • ex)

    • ~1.2.3: will use releases from 1.2.3 to <1.3.0

• ^version

  • Compatible with version

  • Updates future MINOR/PATCHes without increasing the MAJOR version

  • ex)

    • ^2.3.4: will use releases from 2.3.4 to <3.0.0