How can I display the complete dependency structure for an npm package that isn’t installed on my local machine? The usual command for local packages works well, but it fails for remote or globally installed modules. I attempted using a variation of the list command, but it didn’t provide the full hierarchy.
Try using the following command as an alternative:
npm dep-view examplePackage
try using npm ls with --depth=Infinity after installing it temporarily on a sandbox env, this could reveal the full dependancy tree. idk if it works regarless of remote, but it might help
I found that a practical approach is to simulate a local installation even if the package isn’t normally installed on your system. In my experience, setting up a temporary environment, for example, using Docker or a sandboxed project directory, and then installing the package locally works well. After that, running npm ls --depth=Infinity gives a complete dependency structure. Although it requires a bit of extra preparation, this method has helped me to fully understand the dependency chain without altering my main working environment.
An alternative method I have found useful involves leveraging npm view to inspect the metadata of a package without needing to install it. By issuing a command such as npm view packageName, you can fetch detailed dependency information, which can then be parsed to build a dependency structure. Combining this with online dependency graphs, such as those available on npm.anvaka.com, allows you to visually analyze the structure. Although it requires a bit of manual interpretation, this approach avoids creating a temporary local setup and still provides valuable insights.
hey, u might wanna try npm-remote-ls packageName. i used it once & it printed the full dep tree without local instll. though its a bit rough around the edges, it worked well in my case, so def give it a shot.
My recent experiment with a slightly more customized approach involved writing a small script that fetched the package’s metadata from its GitHub repository and then parsed the dependency tree. Instead of relying on a single command, I used unauthenticated queries to a public API to download the package.json and recursively inspect its dependencies. This method, while requiring a bit of coding, gave me complete control over how the data was presented and proved especially helpful when handling edge cases. It may not be as straightforward as some commands, but it offers flexibility in complex dependency scenarios.