What arguments mean in npm diff

NPM_DIFF_NOTES.md

npm diff args

Special conversions:

• IF NO arg:
  • READ package.json name
    • IF FOUND:
      • RETURN package-json-name@tag - file:.
    • ELSE:
      • THROW usage
• IF arg is package-name only:
  • READ arborist load actual tree AND PARSE package-name
    • IF NOT SPEC TYPE REGISTRY:
      • THROW unsupported spec type
    • IF FOUND:
      • RETURN package-name@FOUND_VERSION
    • ELSE:
      • RETURN package-name@latest
• IF arg is validl semver range|version:
  • READ package-name from either arg1 or arg2
    • IF FOUND:
      • RETURN other-arg-parsed-name@arg
    • ELSE:
      • READ package.json name
        • IF FOUND:
          • RETURN package-json-name@arg
        • IF NO package.json:
          • THROW error need to run from package dir to user versions

Arguments combinations and their results

No args (ie, npm diff)

1. Equivalent to npm diff file:. $(package.json name)@latest

Note: Default tag name can be configured via --tag config.

Using 1 argument (ie, npm diff --diff=arg1)

1. arg is a known dependency name (ie, npm diff depname)
   • equivalent to npm diff node_modules/${arg} ${arg}@${wanted version}
2. arg is a known dep name with spec (ie npm diff depname@version)
   • equivalent to npm diff node_modules/${depname} ${arg}
3. arg is a SemVer range (including single versions) (ie, npm diff 1.x)
   • equivalent to npm diff ${package.json name}@${arg} file:.
4. arg is a package name not a dependency with spec (ie, npm diff pkg@1.0.0)
   • equivalent to npm diff arg@1.0.0 file:.
5. arg is a package name not a dependency with NO SPEC (ie, npm diff pkg)
   • equivalent to npm diff arg@latest file:.

With 2 arguments provided (ie, npm diff --diff=${arg1} --diff=${arg2})

1. first arg is a known dependency name

   1. second arg is a known dependency name
      • equivalent to npm diff ${nm/arg1.name@nm/arg1.version} ${nm/arg2.name@nm/arg2.version}
   2. second arg is a known dependency name with spec
      • equivalent to npm diff ${nm/arg1.name@nm/arg1.version} arg2
   3. second arg is a SemVer range (including single versions)
      • equivalent to npm diff ${nm/arg1.name@nm/arg1.version} ${nm/arg1.name@arg2}
   4. second arg is a package name not a dependency with spec
      • equivalent to npm diff ${nm/arg1.name@nm/arg1.version} arg2
   5. second arg is a package name not a dependency NO spec
      • equivalent to npm diff ${nm/arg1.name@nm/arg1.version} ${arg2@latest}

2. first arg is a known dep name with spec (ie, depname@tag)

   1. second arg is a known dependency name
      • equivalent to npm diff arg1 ${nm/arg2}
   2. second arg is a known dependency name with spec
      • equivalent to npm diff arg1 arg2
   3. second arg is a SemVer range (including single versions)
      • equivalent to npm diff arg1 ${nm/arg1.name}@arg2
   4. second arg is a package name not a dependency with spec
      • equivalent to npm diff arg1 arg2
   5. second arg is a package name not a dependency NO spec
      • equivalent to npm diff arg1 arg2@latest

3. first arg is a SemVer range (including single versions)

   1. second arg is a known dependency name
      • equivalent to npm diff ${nm/arg2.name}@arg1 ${nm/arg2.name@nm/arg2.version}
   2. second arg is a known dependency name with spec
      • equivalent to npm diff ${nm/arg2.name}@arg1 arg2
   3. second arg is a SemVer range (including single versions)
      • equivalent to npm diff ${package-json-name}@arg1 ${package-json-name}@arg2
   4. second arg is a package name not a dependency with spec
      • equivalent to npm diff ${arg2.name}@arg1 arg2
   5. second arg is a package name not a dependency NO spec
      • equivalent to npm diff ${arg2}@arg1 arg2@latest

4. first arg is a package name not a dependency with spec

   1. second arg is a known dependency name
      • equivalent to npm diff arg1 ${nm/arg2.name@nm/arg2.version}
   2. second arg is a known dependency name with spec
      • equivalent to npm diff arg1 arg2
   3. second arg is a SemVer range (including single versions)
      • equivalent to npm diff arg1 ${arg1.name}@arg2
   4. second arg is a package name not a dependency with spec
      • equivalent to npm diff arg1 arg2
   5. second arg is a package name not a dependency NO spec
      • equivalent to npm diff arg1 arg2@latest

5. first arg is a package name not a dependency NO spec

   1. second arg is a known dependency name
      • equivalent to npm diff arg1@latest ${nm/arg2.name@nm/arg2.version}
   2. second arg is a known dependency name with spec
      • equivalent to npm diff arg1@latest arg2
   3. second arg is a SemVer range (including single versions)
      • equivalent to npm diff arg1@latest ${arg1.name}@arg2
   4. second arg is a package name not a dependency with spec
      • equivalent to npm diff arg1@latest arg2
   5. second arg is a package name not a dependency NO spec
      • equivalent to npm diff arg1@latest arg2@latest