@rodbe/check-updates

TypeScript utility that checks your local npm packages against the registry and prompts users to update — with smart caching to avoid unnecessary network requests.

✨ Features

• 🔍 Version detection — fetches the latest version of any npm package from the registry
• ⚡ Smart caching — avoids repeated network calls using configurable TTL intervals
• 💬 Interactive prompt — asks the user before installing anything
• 📦 Auto install — runs the install command automatically when the user accepts
• 🔔 Lifecycle callbacks — hooks for success and error after the install attempt

📦 Installation

npm install @rodbe/check-updates --save

🚀 Usage

import { dirname, join } from 'node:path';
import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';

import { checkUpdates } from '@rodbe/check-updates';

// → ./dist/ (compiled output directory)
const distPath = join(dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)));

const updateChecker = checkUpdates({
  packageJsonPath: join(distPath, '..', 'package.json'), // → ./package.json
  isGlobal: true,
});

// Checks the registry, prompts the user, and installs if accepted
await updateChecker.checkNewVersion();

⚙️ Configuration Options

Option	Type	Default	Description
packageJsonPath	string	Required	Path to the package.json of the package to check
askToUpdate	boolean	true	Whether to prompt the user before installing
isGlobal	boolean	true	Install the package globally (npm install -g)
updateCheckInterval	number	604800000 (1 week)	How often to check the registry for a new version, in ms
dontAskCheckInterval	number	86400000 (1 day)	How long to suppress the prompt after the user declines, in ms
updateQuestion	string	'Heey! Before, do you want to get the latest version? 🔥'	Custom message shown in the update prompt
cbOnSuccess	() => void	undefined	Callback invoked after a successful installation
cbOnError	() => void	undefined	Callback invoked when the installation fails
debug	boolean	false	Runs npm -v instead of the real install command — useful during local development

📖 API

checkNewVersion(): Promise<void>

Checks the npm registry for a newer version. If one is found (and the cache TTL has expired), it prompts the user. The user can accept to install or decline — if declined, the prompt is suppressed until dontAskCheckInterval elapses.

update(): void

Runs the install command immediately without any prompt. Calls cbOnSuccess on success or cbOnError on failure.

🔧 Advanced usage

import { dirname, join } from 'node:path';
import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';

import { checkUpdates } from '@rodbe/check-updates';

const distPath = join(dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)));

const updateChecker = checkUpdates({
  packageJsonPath: join(distPath, '..', 'package.json'),
  isGlobal: true,
  askToUpdate: true,
  updateCheckInterval: 7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000, // check once a week
  dontAskCheckInterval: 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000,    // suppress prompt for 1 day after decline
  updateQuestion: 'Do you want to upgrade to the latest version now?',
  cbOnSuccess: () => console.log('Package updated successfully!'),
  cbOnError: () => console.error('Something went wrong during the update.'),
});

// Check and prompt automatically
await updateChecker.checkNewVersion();

// Or trigger the update directly, skipping the prompt
updateChecker.update();

📄 License

MIT