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npm Global Update Notifications - Monitor Globally Installed npm Packages

npm Global Update Notifications - Monitor Globally Installed npm Packages

Update-Watcher’s npm checker monitors globally installed npm packages for available updates. It reports each outdated package with its current and latest version, so you always know when your global CLI tools need updating.

The setup wizard auto-detects npm and offers to enable this checker on any system where npm is installed.

💡
Looking for project-level npm monitoring? If you want to track outdated dependencies in a Node.js project (package.json), use the Web Project checker instead. It supports npm, yarn, pnpm, and Composer with auto-detection, security audits, and multi-project support.

Prerequisites

  • Node.js and npm installed and available in PATH.
  • At least one globally installed npm package (e.g., npm install -g typescript).

Adding via CLI

Add an npm global watcher:

Terminal
update-watcher watch npm

The npm checker has no additional configuration flags.

Configuration Reference

The npm checker has no checker-specific options. It uses the default settings.

OptionTypeDefaultDescription
(none)––The npm checker requires no additional configuration.

YAML Configuration Example

Basic npm configuration:

config.yaml
watchers:
  - type: npm

Combined with other checkers for a full development machine setup:

config.yaml
watchers:
  - type: homebrew
  - type: npm
  - type: macos

How It Works

The npm checker runs a single command:

npm outdated -g --json

This queries the npm registry for all globally installed packages that have newer versions available. It does not update any packages – it only reports what is outdated.

The JSON output contains each outdated package with its current, wanted, and latest versions. For global packages, the checker compares current against latest to determine if an update is available.

Tips

💡

Global CLI tools: Many developers install CLI tools globally with npm install -g (e.g., typescript, eslint, @angular/cli, vercel). These tools do not auto-update, so they can become outdated quickly. The npm checker helps you stay on top of these updates without having to remember to check manually.

Scoped packages: The checker fully supports scoped packages like @angular/cli and @vue/cli.

To update all outdated global packages:

Terminal
npm update -g

Or update a specific package:

Terminal
npm install -g <package-name>@latest

Related

Send npm update notifications to Slack, Discord, Email, Telegram, or any of the other 16 supported notification channels.

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