dependencies version in package.json

semantic versioning

  Semantic versioning (aka SemVer), is a widely adopted version scheme that uses a sequence of three digits (Major.Minor.Patch), an optional pre-release tag and optional build meta tag. 

 

• backward-incompatible change increments the major number
• new functionality that is backwards compatible API additions/changes increments the minor number
• simple bug fix to existing functionality increments the patch number

 

 

difference between tilde(~) and caret(^) in package.json

Symbol	Dependency	Versions	Changes
caret (^)	^3.9.2	3.*.*	backwards compatible new functionality old functionality deprecated, but operational large internal refactor bug fix
tilde (~)	~3.9.2	3.9.*	bug fix

 

simply, 

• ~version will update you to all future patch versions, without incrementing the minor version. ~1.2.3 will use releases from 1.2.3 to <1.3.0.
• ^version  will update you to all future minor/patch versions, without incrementing the major version. ^2.3.4 will use releases from 2.3.4 to <3.0.0.

 

sources

• why is there a caret in my package.json?
• semver
• npm Docs semantic versioning
• npm Docs dependencies
• stack overflow