[BUG] npm version --workspaces still doesn't update dependencies

[websolutions-hamburg]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

This issue exists in the latest npm version

• I am using the latest npm

Current Behavior

The issue #3403 still exists.
The command npm version <version> --workspaces does not update the dependencies nor the devDependencies in the package.json file.

As documented here, the fix provided at the time unfortunately does not work: #4588 (comment)

Expected Behavior

npm version 2.0.0 --workspaces should update all workspace package versions (currently does) and also update the package.json dependencies and devDependencies versions.

Steps To Reproduce

1. Setup a new npm workspace
2. Create /packages/package-a with package.json:

{
  "name": "package-a",
  "version": "1.0.0"
}

3. Create /packages/package-b with package.json:

{
  "name": "package-b",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "dependencies": {
    "package-a": "1.0.0"
  }
}

4. Run npm version 2.0.0 --workspaces
5. Notice the package versions are updated but the dependencies are not.

Environment

• npm: 10.8.3
• Node.js: 22.9.0
• OS Name: macOS 14.7
• System Model Name: MacBook Pro
• npm config:

❯ npm config ls
; "user" config from /Users/xxx/.npmrc

@company:registry = "https://npm.pkg.github.com."
//npm.pkg.github.com./:_authToken = (protected)

; node bin location = /Users/xxx/.nodenv/versions/22.9.0/bin/node
; node version = v22.9.0
; npm local prefix = /Users/xxx/Repositories/test
; npm version = 10.8.3
; cwd = /Users/xxx/Repositories/test
; HOME = /Users/xxx
; Run `npm config ls -l` to show all defaults.

[kchindam-infy]

After further testing and analysis, here’s what I found: inter-workspace dependency updates in npm workspaces!

Behavior Observed:

When running npm version patch -ws --save or npm version minor -ws --save, inter-workspace dependencies (e.g., package-b depending on package-a) update as expected.
When running npm version major -ws --save, the update doesn’t occur if the dependency uses a caret range (e.g., ^1.0.2) because switching to 2.0.0 is outside of that range.
Explanation:

This behavior aligns with npm’s semver logic. Caret ranges like ^1.0.2 allow updates only within the 1.x.x range.
If the dependency is declared as ">=1.0.0 <3.0.0", a major version bump to 2.x is allowed and updates accordingly.
The declared semver range in package.json dictates whether updates occur during version bumps.

Conclusion: This is not a bug; it’s the expected behavior of npm. To allow major version updates, you’ll need to adjust the semver range in the dependent workspace’s package.json.

[websolutions-hamburg]

@kchindam-infy thank you for your analysis.
The option --save is unfortunately not documented for npm version. I can confirm that the behavior with a caret is as you describe:

npm version patch -ws --save (or npm version minor -ws --save)

Before:

{
  "name": "package-b",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "dependencies": {
    "package-a": "^1.0.0"
  }
}

After:

{
  "name": "package-b",
  "version": "1.0.1",
  "dependencies": {
    "package-a": "^1.0.1"
  }
}

---

But it doesn't work with a tilde. The inter-workspace dependency package-a is not updated:

npm version patch -ws --save

Before:

{
  "name": "package-b",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "dependencies": {
    "package-a": "~1.0.0"
  }
}

After:

{
  "name": "package-b",
  "version": "1.0.1",
  "dependencies": {
    "package-a": "~1.0.0"
  }
}

---

A major update only works once for updating the inter-workspace dependency version. Since a >= is turned into a ^:

npm version major -ws --save

Before:

{
  "name": "package-b",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "dependencies": {
    "package-a": ">=1.0.0"
  }
}

After:

{
  "name": "package-b",
  "version": "2.0.0",
  "dependencies": {
    "package-a": "^2.0.0"
  }
}

As expected, a second run with npm version major -ws --save now leads to the error:

npm error code ENOVERSIONS
npm error No versions available for package-a

---

If a fixed version number is entered, there is no way to increment this inter-workspace dependency with npm version, as this is not compatible with SemVer logic. And there is no way to make this possible with npm and perhaps an extra option?

[skanaar]

I am running into the problem reported by @websolutions-hamburg that npm version --save changes >= to ^.

We would like to migrate from lerna to npm --workspaces and this would causes major version updates to break.

Perhaps this issue should be reopened? @kchindam-infy ?