npm update does not do anything

When I execute this code in my application folder where the package.json is located:

npm update or npm update --save-dev it does not do anything.

But when I do npm outdated is shows many outdated packages.

So how do I update all packages?

OS: Win 10 x64
nodejs: 6.2.2
npm:3.10.7

package.json

{
  "name": "tgb-frontend",
  "version": "0.0.0",
  "license": "MIT",
  "angular-cli": {},
  "scripts": {
    "start": "ng serve",
    "lint": "tslint \"src/**/*.ts\"",
    "test": "ng test",
    "pree2e": "webdriver-manager update",
    "e2e": "protractor"
  },
  "private": true,
  "dependencies": {
    "@angular/common": "2.0.0",
    "@angular/compiler": "2.0.0",
    "@angular/core": "2.0.0",
    "@angular/forms": "2.0.0",
    "@angular/http": "2.0.0",
    "@angular/platform-browser": "2.0.0",
    "@angular/platform-browser-dynamic": "2.0.0",
    "@angular/router": "3.0.0",
    "core-js": "^2.4.1",
    "rxjs": "5.0.0-beta.12",
    "ts-helpers": "^1.1.1",
    "zone.js": "^0.6.23"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "@types/jasmine": "^2.2.30",
    "angular-cli": "1.0.0-beta.14",
    "codelyzer": "~0.0.26",
    "jasmine-core": "2.4.1",
    "jasmine-spec-reporter": "2.5.0",
    "karma": "1.2.0",
    "karma-chrome-launcher": "^2.0.0",
    "karma-cli": "^1.0.1",
    "karma-jasmine": "^1.0.2",
    "karma-remap-istanbul": "^0.2.1",
    "protractor": "4.0.5",
    "ts-node": "1.2.1",
    "tslint": "3.13.0",
    "typescript": "2.0.2"
  }
}

Running npm update --dd result in the follow extraction output:

npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.490813,VS0,VE0',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/protractor from cache
npm verb get saving protractor to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\protractor\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir already in flight; waiting
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/zone.js
npm verb headers { date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   'cache-control': 'max-age=300',
npm verb headers   etag: '"CEIBQS48U3970DBBLVY9BS6AW"',
npm verb headers   age: '128',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1222-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'HIT',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '1',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.490820,VS0,VE0',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/zone.js from cache
npm verb get saving zone.js to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\zone.js\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir already in flight; waiting
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/karma-chrome-launcher
npm verb headers { date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   'cache-control': 'max-age=300',
npm verb headers   etag: '"4F85C0FZBMRDOTDFPHJMQZBM8"',
npm verb headers   age: '59',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1231-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'HIT',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '1',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.492537,VS0,VE0',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/karma-chrome-launcher from cache
npm verb get saving karma-chrome-launcher to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\karma-chrome-launcher\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir already in flight; waiting
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/karma-remap-istanbul
npm verb headers { date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   'cache-control': 'max-age=300',
npm verb headers   etag: '"BYUZKVHQIHLVUT104GP509OFK"',
npm verb headers   age: '268',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1221-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'HIT',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '1',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.490957,VS0,VE0',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/karma-remap-istanbul from cache
npm verb get saving karma-remap-istanbul to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\karma-remap-istanbul\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir already in flight; waiting
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/tslint
npm verb headers { date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   'cache-control': 'max-age=300',
npm verb headers   etag: '"CWO8LZOC4DK34K142T9LWM1RX"',
npm verb headers   age: '10',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1248-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'HIT',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '1',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.490976,VS0,VE0',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/tslint from cache
npm verb get saving tslint to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\tslint\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir already in flight; waiting
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/jasmine-spec-reporter
npm verb headers { date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   'cache-control': 'max-age=300',
npm verb headers   etag: '"1TKJPMC6QAX7DTKI3RCPOWB33"',
npm verb headers   age: '59',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1235-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'HIT',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '1',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.496023,VS0,VE0',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/jasmine-spec-reporter from cache
npm verb get saving jasmine-spec-reporter to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\jasmine-spec-reporter\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir already in flight; waiting
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/typescript
npm verb headers { date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   'cache-control': 'max-age=300',
npm verb headers   etag: '"BTWWBQ9R8BXMY0349REWK133W"',
npm verb headers   age: '252',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1227-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'HIT',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '9',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.501994,VS0,VE0',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/typescript from cache
npm verb get saving typescript to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\typescript\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir already in flight; waiting
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/karma-jasmine
npm verb headers { date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   'cache-control': 'max-age=300',
npm verb headers   etag: '"36V4PLV1VKGDW8C5GXL8K8BVH"',
npm verb headers   age: '211',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1240-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'HIT',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '1',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.498463,VS0,VE0',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/karma-jasmine from cache
npm verb get saving karma-jasmine to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\karma-jasmine\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir already in flight; waiting
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/karma
npm verb headers { date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   'cache-control': 'max-age=300',
npm verb headers   etag: '"9B0FRZQ5V9W9AIXWF98UVSM6C"',
npm verb headers   age: '97',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1224-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'HIT',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '1',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.501606,VS0,VE0',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/karma from cache
npm verb get saving karma to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\karma\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir already in flight; waiting
npm http 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/karma-cli
npm verb headers { server: 'CouchDB/1.5.0 (Erlang OTP/R16B03)',
npm verb headers   etag: '"BZP1VT7P2AOLYBNMO7N10ESCI"',
npm verb headers   'content-type': 'application/json',
npm verb headers   'content-encoding': 'gzip',
npm verb headers   'cache-control': 'max-age=300',
npm verb headers   'content-length': '2902',
npm verb headers   'accept-ranges': 'bytes',
npm verb headers   date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   age: '56',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1233-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'HIT',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '1',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.496210,VS0,VE0',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb get saving karma-cli to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\karma-cli\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir not in flight; initializing
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/@angular%2fforms
npm verb headers { date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   'cache-control': 'max-age=0',
npm verb headers   etag: '"EAEQ3H227F67DKL54RON412OW"',
npm verb headers   age: '0',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1238-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'MISS',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '0',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.485421,VS0,VE259',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/@angular%2fforms from cache
npm verb get saving @angular/forms to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\_40angular_252fforms\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir not in flight; initializing
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/@angular%2fplatform-browser-dynamic
                                                                                            npm verb headers { 'cache-control': 'max-age=0',
npm verb headers   'accept-ranges': 'bytes',
npm verb headers   date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1250-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'MISS',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '0',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.475204,VS0,VE419',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/@angular%2fplatform-browser-dynamic from cache
npm verb get saving @angular/platform-browser-dynamic to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\_40angular_252fplatform-browser-dynamic\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir not in flight; initializing
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/@angular%2fplatform-browser
                                                                                                          npm verb headers { date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   'cache-control': 'max-age=0',
                                                                                                                              npm verb headers   etag: '"6KULKVAP2JLLHXUR9G1MKEWBH"',
npm verb headers   age: '0',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1247-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'MISS',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '0',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.481265,VS0,VE428',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/@angular%2fplatform-browser from cache
npm verb get saving @angular/platform-browser to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\_40angular_252fplatform-browser\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir not in flight; initializing
                                                                       [..................] | : verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir not in npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/@angular%2frouter
npm verb headers { date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   'cache-control': 'max-age=0',
npm verb headers   etag: '"E37EYJC1EI89JHFLMFG79P1B1"',
npm verb headers   age: '0',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1247-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'MISS',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '0',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.481239,VS0,VE452',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/@angular%2frouter from cache
npm verb get saving @angular/router to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\_40angular_252frouter\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir not in flight; initializing
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/@types%2fjasmine
npm verb headers { date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   'cache-control': 'max-age=0',
npm verb headers   etag: '"5970JWNJE5EMJ1LQCUJLDE51A"',
npm verb headers   age: '0',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1249-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'MISS',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '0',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.480305,VS0,VE717',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/@types%2fjasmine from cache
npm verb get saving @types/jasmine to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\_40types_252fjasmine\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir not in flight; initializing
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/@angular%2fcommon
npm verb headers { date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   'cache-control': 'max-age=0',
npm verb headers   etag: '"5T3TIRLH7GIKTLAUE8ASZODQP"',
npm verb headers   age: '0',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1237-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'MISS',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '0',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.478583,VS0,VE741',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/@angular%2fcommon from cache
npm verb get saving @angular/common to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\_40angular_252fcommon\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir not in flight; initializing
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/@angular%2fcompiler
npm verb headers { date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   'cache-control': 'max-age=0',
npm verb headers   etag: '"7SNBRHEXD0EH21E7G01GBSPZ0"',
npm verb headers   age: '0',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1232-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'MISS',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '0',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.485587,VS0,VE764',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/@angular%2fcompiler from cache
npm verb get saving @angular/compiler to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\_40angular_252fcompiler\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir not in flight; initializing
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/@angular%2fcore
npm verb headers { date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:10 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   'cache-control': 'max-age=0',
npm verb headers   etag: '"4J1XWC967WZ1FEYDRY04JS2DN"',
npm verb headers   age: '0',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1245-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'MISS',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '0',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.482388,VS0,VE783',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/@angular%2fcore from cache
npm verb get saving @angular/core to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\_40angular_252fcore\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir not in flight; initializing
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/@angular%2fhttp
npm verb headers { 'cache-control': 'max-age=0',
npm verb headers   'accept-ranges': 'bytes',
npm verb headers   date: 'Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:45:11 GMT',
npm verb headers   via: '1.1 varnish',
npm verb headers   connection: 'keep-alive',
npm verb headers   'x-served-by': 'cache-fra1230-FRA',
npm verb headers   'x-cache': 'MISS',
npm verb headers   'x-cache-hits': '0',
npm verb headers   'x-timer': 'S1475099110.484580,VS0,VE784',
npm verb headers   vary: 'Accept-Encoding' }
npm verb etag https://registry.npmjs.org/@angular%2fhttp from cache
npm verb get saving @angular/http to C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache\registry.npmjs.org\_40angular_252fhttp\.cache.json
npm verb correctMkdir C:\Users\elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\npm-cache correctMkdir not in flight; initializing
npm verb outdated not updating @angular/common because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb outdated not updating @angular/compiler because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb outdated not updating @angular/core because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb outdated not updating @angular/forms because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb outdated not updating @angular/http because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb outdated not updating @angular/platform-browser because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb outdated not updating @angular/platform-browser-dynamic because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb outdated not updating @angular/router because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb outdated not updating angular-cli because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb outdated not updating codelyzer because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb outdated not updating jasmine-core because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb outdated not updating jasmine-spec-reporter because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb outdated not updating karma because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb outdated not updating protractor because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb outdated not updating ts-node because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb outdated not updating tslint because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb outdated not updating typescript because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range
npm verb exit [ 0, true ]
npm info ok

The npm update --dd output says why at the end:

...not updating @angular/common because it's currently at the maximum version that matches its specified semver range

Look at this specific package, angular/common. You have it set to 2.0.0, which means npm will always fetch that specific version. If you want the package to update, you need to use a semver range. You can view a comprehensive list of semver ranges here, but the most commonly used are probably ~ and ^.

~ means that the patch version will update. So if you have version ~1.2.1, it will update to any 1.2.x, but never to 1.3.0.

^ updates the minor version, so if you have ^1.2.1, it will update to any 1.x.x release, but never to 2.0.0.

To update, here are the steps:

1. Running npm outdated will allow you to check all the packages that need to be updated. The list will show current, wanted and latest version of each package.

2. Next, run npm update which will update all the packages to the latest possible version as defined in package.json. For example, if a certain package in package.json has version ^2.3.1 then this package will not be updated beyond 2.x.x, and if a package has version ~5.3.2 then it will not be updated beyond 5.3.x. (to understand semantic versioning, read this)

3. But what if you want to update to the latest, and the versions of your packages in package.json are preventing you from updating as described in step 2 above? Well there are two solutions.

   a) You can manually update the package versions in package.json by changing the versions of your packages to the latest values you like them to be. Although this might work, this is very tedious and error prone. So I do not recommend it.

   b) You can automatically update the versions of your packages in package.json. To do so, you need to install the npm-check-updates package (I typically install this package globally) using this command: npm i -g npm-check-updates. Once this is done, you have to run ncu -u. This will only update the package versions in package.json to the latest version. I recommend this method.

4. Now, after updating the versions of your packages in package.json, run npm update and your packages will be updated to the latest version.

If npm [-g] outdated shows outdated packages outside of the semver range (e.g. a major update), the update command cannot be used to update these packages.

To install the latest version, explicitly specify the package with

npm install [-g] <package>

When I was very new to Node.js I didn't knew the following. I'm sharing if it might help you.

npm version:

npm --version

Note that following also checks for npm version:

npm --version <packagename> // package name argument is simply ignored

Package version:

npm list // at local directory to check local package versions
npm list -g // to check global package versions

One more thing to check that could be affecting the way you install packages and ultimately causing this problem is your .npmrc file. Check to see if it has a line like:

save-exact=true

If it does, then remove it or set it to false. When it is set to true, you get the following behavior:

> Dependencies saved to package.json using --save, --save-dev or --save-optional will be configured with an exact version rather than using npm’s default semver range operator.

.npmrc and save-exact

Update all outdated packages to latest version with one liner on bash

npm outdated | cut -d" " -f1 | tail -n +2 | sed 's/$/@latest/' | xargs npm i

If you are using ^ or ~ or in front of your versions, then you cannot get the next major version of that package with npm update <package-name>. You could check your outdated packages using npm outdated and run npm install <package-name>@latest for each of them, the above one liner will do all this for you

You can force update all packages even if it breaks semantic versioning using an existing package.

Use this with care for important projects and absolutely avoid in production.

I find this shortcut useful for personal projects.

This package will update all the dependency versions in package.json and the following install command with install them.

npx npm-check-updates -u && npm i