1 ---
2 title: npm-update
3 section: 1
4 description: Update a package
5 github_repo: npm/cli
6 github_branch: release/v6
7 github_path: docs/content/commands/npm-update.md
8 redirect_from:
9 - /cli-documentation/v6/cli-commands/npm-update
10 - /cli-documentation/v6/cli-commands/update
11 - /cli-documentation/v6/commands/npm-update
12 - /cli-documentation/v6/commands/update
13 - /cli-documentation/v6/npm-update
14 - /cli-documentation/v6/update
15 - /cli/v6/cli-commands/npm-update
16 - /cli/v6/cli-commands/update
17 - /cli/v6/commands/update
18 - /cli/v6/npm-update
19 - /cli/v6/update
20 ---
21
22 ### Synopsis
23
24 ```bash
25 npm update [-g] [<pkg>...]
26
27 aliases: up, upgrade
28 ```
29
30 ### Description
31
32 This command will update all the packages listed to the latest version (specified by the `tag` config), respecting semver.
33
34 It will also install missing packages. As with all commands that install packages, the `--dev` flag will cause `devDependencies` to be processed as well.
35
36 If the `-g` flag is specified, this command will update globally installed packages.
37
38 If no package name is specified, all packages in the specified location (global or local) will be updated.
39
40 As of `npm@2.6.1`, the `npm update` will only inspect top-level packages. Prior versions of `npm` would also recursively inspect all dependencies. To get the old behavior, use `npm --depth 9999 update`.
41
42 As of `npm@5.0.0`, the `npm update` will change `package.json` to save the new version as the minimum required dependency. To get the old behavior, use `npm update --no-save`.
43
44 ### Example
45
46 IMPORTANT VERSION NOTE: these examples assume `npm@2.6.1` or later. For older versions of `npm`, you must specify `--depth 0` to get the behavior described below.
47
48 For the examples below, assume that the current package is `app` and it depends on dependencies, `dep1` (`dep2`, .. etc.). The published versions of `dep1` are:
49
50 ```json
51 {
52 "dist-tags": { "latest": "1.2.2" },
53 "versions": [
54 "1.2.2",
55 "1.2.1",
56 "1.2.0",
57 "1.1.2",
58 "1.1.1",
59 "1.0.0",
60 "0.4.1",
61 "0.4.0",
62 "0.2.0"
63 ]
64 }
65 ```
66
67 #### Caret Dependencies
68
69 If `app`'s `package.json` contains:
70
71 ```json
72 "dependencies": {
73 "dep1": "^1.1.1"
74 }
75 ```
76
77 Then `npm update` will install `dep1@1.2.2`, because `1.2.2` is `latest` and `1.2.2` satisfies `^1.1.1`.
78
79 #### Tilde Dependencies
80
81 However, if `app`'s `package.json` contains:
82
83 ```json
84 "dependencies": {
85 "dep1": "~1.1.1"
86 }
87 ```
88
89 In this case, running `npm update` will install `dep1@1.1.2`. Even though the `latest` tag points to `1.2.2`, this version does not satisfy `~1.1.1`, which is equivalent to `>=1.1.1 <1.2.0`. So the highest-sorting version that satisfies `~1.1.1` is used, which is `1.1.2`.
90
91 #### Caret Dependencies below 1.0.0
92
93 Suppose `app` has a caret dependency on a version below `1.0.0`, for example:
94
95 ```json
96 "dependencies": {
97 "dep1": "^0.2.0"
98 }
99 ```
100
101 `npm update` will install `dep1@0.2.0`, because there are no other versions which satisfy `^0.2.0`.
102
103 If the dependence were on `^0.4.0`:
104
105 ```json
106 "dependencies": {
107 "dep1": "^0.4.0"
108 }
109 ```
110
111 Then `npm update` will install `dep1@0.4.1`, because that is the highest-sorting version that satisfies `^0.4.0` (`>= 0.4.0 <0.5.0`)
112
113 #### Updating Globally-Installed Packages
114
115 `npm update -g` will apply the `update` action to each globally installed package that is `outdated` -- that is, has a version that is different from `wanted`.
116
117 Note: Globally installed packages are treated as if they are installed with a caret semver range specified. So if you require to update to `latest` you may need to run `npm install -g [<pkg>...]`
118
119 NOTE: If a package has been upgraded to a version newer than `latest`, it will be _downgraded_.
120
121 ### See Also
122
123 - [npm install](/cli/v6/commands/npm-install)
124 - [npm outdated](/cli/v6/commands/npm-outdated)
125 - [npm shrinkwrap](/cli/v6/commands/npm-shrinkwrap)
126 - [npm registry](/cli/v6/using-npm/registry)
127 - [npm folders](/cli/v6/configuring-npm/folders)
128 - [npm ls](/cli/v6/commands/npm-ls)