npm view but for local packages

[trusktr]

Please. 🙏

npm view <package-name> version only shows the latest in the registry. We need something simple like this for locally installed packages.

[ljharb]

That's just a package.json file - run jq .version package.json or something.

[ljharb]

ah, if it's for the dep graph then npm explain package will tell you the versions - there isn't a single answer.

[wesleytodd]

Yeah, thats a good point. I think it depends on what the usecase @trusktr has. Maybe you can provide more context on this ask?

[wesleytodd]

I should elaborate, if it is just "what version am I using" that is simple with explain. If you want to pass that version onto some other tool in a one-liner, the npm explain format is a bit difficult to work with (because it is doing more intentionally).

[ljharb]

Right - but the answer to that question for your dep graph will have 0, 1, or N answers. npm view only makes sense with a specific package, and if you're talking about something local, that has to be pointing at a specific package.json/dir, not just a package name.

[wesleytodd]

Yep, this is why I think knowing more context about what @trusktr actually wants to use this for is important. Any "context free" feature request like this is probably not going to get very far, so I would highly recommend writing out more in the initial ask so folks don't have to guess as to what the actual need is.