dependency-upgrade
Master major dependency version upgrades, compatibility analysis, staged upgrade strategies, and comprehensive testing approaches.
Best use case
dependency-upgrade is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Master major dependency version upgrades, compatibility analysis, staged upgrade strategies, and comprehensive testing approaches.
Teams using dependency-upgrade should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/dependency-upgrade/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How dependency-upgrade Compares
| Feature / Agent | dependency-upgrade | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Master major dependency version upgrades, compatibility analysis, staged upgrade strategies, and comprehensive testing approaches.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# Dependency Upgrade
Master major dependency version upgrades, compatibility analysis, staged upgrade strategies, and comprehensive testing approaches.
## Do not use this skill when
- The task is unrelated to dependency upgrade
- You need a different domain or tool outside this scope
## Instructions
- Clarify goals, constraints, and required inputs.
- Apply relevant best practices and validate outcomes.
- Provide actionable steps and verification.
- If detailed examples are required, open `resources/implementation-playbook.md`.
## Use this skill when
- Upgrading major framework versions
- Updating security-vulnerable dependencies
- Modernizing legacy dependencies
- Resolving dependency conflicts
- Planning incremental upgrade paths
- Testing compatibility matrices
- Automating dependency updates
## Semantic Versioning Review
```
MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH (e.g., 2.3.1)
MAJOR: Breaking changes
MINOR: New features, backward compatible
PATCH: Bug fixes, backward compatible
^2.3.1 = >=2.3.1 <3.0.0 (minor updates)
~2.3.1 = >=2.3.1 <2.4.0 (patch updates)
2.3.1 = exact version
```
## Dependency Analysis
### Audit Dependencies
```bash
# npm
npm outdated
npm audit
npm audit fix
# yarn
yarn outdated
yarn audit
# Check for major updates
npx npm-check-updates
npx npm-check-updates -u # Update package.json
```
### Analyze Dependency Tree
```bash
# See why a package is installed
npm ls package-name
yarn why package-name
# Find duplicate packages
npm dedupe
yarn dedupe
# Visualize dependencies
npx madge --image graph.png src/
```
## Compatibility Matrix
```javascript
// compatibility-matrix.js
const compatibilityMatrix = {
'react': {
'16.x': {
'react-dom': '^16.0.0',
'react-router-dom': '^5.0.0',
'@testing-library/react': '^11.0.0'
},
'17.x': {
'react-dom': '^17.0.0',
'react-router-dom': '^5.0.0 || ^6.0.0',
'@testing-library/react': '^12.0.0'
},
'18.x': {
'react-dom': '^18.0.0',
'react-router-dom': '^6.0.0',
'@testing-library/react': '^13.0.0'
}
}
};
function checkCompatibility(packages) {
// Validate package versions against matrix
}
```
## Staged Upgrade Strategy
### Phase 1: Planning
```bash
# 1. Identify current versions
npm list --depth=0
# 2. Check for breaking changes
# Read CHANGELOG.md and MIGRATION.md
# 3. Create upgrade plan
echo "Upgrade order:
1. TypeScript
2. React
3. React Router
4. Testing libraries
5. Build tools" > UPGRADE_PLAN.md
```
### Phase 2: Incremental Updates
```bash
# Don't upgrade everything at once!
# Step 1: Update TypeScript
npm install typescript@latest
# Test
npm run test
npm run build
# Step 2: Update React (one major version at a time)
npm install react@17 react-dom@17
# Test again
npm run test
# Step 3: Continue with other packages
npm install react-router-dom@6
# And so on...
```
### Phase 3: Validation
```javascript
// tests/compatibility.test.js
describe('Dependency Compatibility', () => {
it('should have compatible React versions', () => {
const reactVersion = require('react/package.json').version;
const reactDomVersion = require('react-dom/package.json').version;
expect(reactVersion).toBe(reactDomVersion);
});
it('should not have peer dependency warnings', () => {
// Run npm ls and check for warnings
});
});
```
## Breaking Change Handling
### Identifying Breaking Changes
```bash
# Use changelog parsers
npx changelog-parser react 16.0.0 17.0.0
# Or manually check
curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/facebook/react/main/CHANGELOG.md
```
### Codemod for Automated Fixes
```bash
# React upgrade codemods
npx react-codeshift <transform> <path>
# Example: Update lifecycle methods
npx react-codeshift \
--parser tsx \
--transform react-codeshift/transforms/rename-unsafe-lifecycles.js \
src/
```
### Custom Migration Script
```javascript
// migration-script.js
const fs = require('fs');
const glob = require('glob');
glob('src/**/*.tsx', (err, files) => {
files.forEach(file => {
let content = fs.readFileSync(file, 'utf8');
// Replace old API with new API
content = content.replace(
/componentWillMount/g,
'UNSAFE_componentWillMount'
);
// Update imports
content = content.replace(
/import { Component } from 'react'/g,
"import React, { Component } from 'react'"
);
fs.writeFileSync(file, content);
});
});
```
## Testing Strategy
### Unit Tests
```javascript
// Ensure tests pass before and after upgrade
npm run test
// Update test utilities if needed
npm install @testing-library/react@latest
```
### Integration Tests
```javascript
// tests/integration/app.test.js
describe('App Integration', () => {
it('should render without crashing', () => {
render(<App />);
});
it('should handle navigation', () => {
const { getByText } = render(<App />);
fireEvent.click(getByText('Navigate'));
expect(screen.getByText('New Page')).toBeInTheDocument();
});
});
```
### Visual Regression Tests
```javascript
// visual-regression.test.js
describe('Visual Regression', () => {
it('should match snapshot', () => {
const { container } = render(<App />);
expect(container.firstChild).toMatchSnapshot();
});
});
```
### E2E Tests
```javascript
// cypress/e2e/app.cy.js
describe('E2E Tests', () => {
it('should complete user flow', () => {
cy.visit('/');
cy.get('[data-testid="login"]').click();
cy.get('input[name="email"]').type('user@example.com');
cy.get('button[type="submit"]').click();
cy.url().should('include', '/dashboard');
});
});
```
## Automated Dependency Updates
### Renovate Configuration
```json
// renovate.json
{
"extends": ["config:base"],
"packageRules": [
{
"matchUpdateTypes": ["minor", "patch"],
"automerge": true
},
{
"matchUpdateTypes": ["major"],
"automerge": false,
"labels": ["major-update"]
}
],
"schedule": ["before 3am on Monday"],
"timezone": "America/New_York"
}
```
### Dependabot Configuration
```yaml
# .github/dependabot.yml
version: 2
updates:
- package-ecosystem: "npm"
directory: "/"
schedule:
interval: "weekly"
open-pull-requests-limit: 5
reviewers:
- "team-leads"
commit-message:
prefix: "chore"
include: "scope"
```
## Rollback Plan
```javascript
// rollback.sh
#!/bin/bash
# Save current state
git stash
git checkout -b upgrade-branch
# Attempt upgrade
npm install package@latest
# Run tests
if npm run test; then
echo "Upgrade successful"
git add package.json package-lock.json
git commit -m "chore: upgrade package"
else
echo "Upgrade failed, rolling back"
git checkout main
git branch -D upgrade-branch
npm install # Restore from package-lock.json
fi
```
## Common Upgrade Patterns
### Lock File Management
```bash
# npm
npm install --package-lock-only # Update lock file only
npm ci # Clean install from lock file
# yarn
yarn install --frozen-lockfile # CI mode
yarn upgrade-interactive # Interactive upgrades
```
### Peer Dependency Resolution
```bash
# npm 7+: strict peer dependencies
npm install --legacy-peer-deps # Ignore peer deps
# npm 8+: override peer dependencies
npm install --force
```
### Workspace Upgrades
```bash
# Update all workspace packages
npm install --workspaces
# Update specific workspace
npm install package@latest --workspace=packages/app
```
## Resources
- **references/semver.md**: Semantic versioning guide
- **references/compatibility-matrix.md**: Common compatibility issues
- **references/staged-upgrades.md**: Incremental upgrade strategies
- **references/testing-strategy.md**: Comprehensive testing approaches
- **assets/upgrade-checklist.md**: Step-by-step checklist
- **assets/compatibility-matrix.csv**: Version compatibility table
- **scripts/audit-dependencies.sh**: Dependency audit script
## Best Practices
1. **Read Changelogs**: Understand what changed
2. **Upgrade Incrementally**: One major version at a time
3. **Test Thoroughly**: Unit, integration, E2E tests
4. **Check Peer Dependencies**: Resolve conflicts early
5. **Use Lock Files**: Ensure reproducible installs
6. **Automate Updates**: Use Renovate or Dependabot
7. **Monitor**: Watch for runtime errors post-upgrade
8. **Document**: Keep upgrade notes
## Upgrade Checklist
```markdown
Pre-Upgrade:
- [ ] Review current dependency versions
- [ ] Read changelogs for breaking changes
- [ ] Create feature branch
- [ ] Backup current state (git tag)
- [ ] Run full test suite (baseline)
During Upgrade:
- [ ] Upgrade one dependency at a time
- [ ] Update peer dependencies
- [ ] Fix TypeScript errors
- [ ] Update tests if needed
- [ ] Run test suite after each upgrade
- [ ] Check bundle size impact
Post-Upgrade:
- [ ] Full regression testing
- [ ] Performance testing
- [ ] Update documentation
- [ ] Deploy to staging
- [ ] Monitor for errors
- [ ] Deploy to production
```
## Common Pitfalls
- Upgrading all dependencies at once
- Not testing after each upgrade
- Ignoring peer dependency warnings
- Forgetting to update lock file
- Not reading breaking change notes
- Skipping major versions
- Not having rollback plan
## Limitations
- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.Related Skills
skill-rails-upgrade
Analyze Rails apps and provide upgrade assessments
paywall-upgrade-cro
You are an expert in in-app paywalls and upgrade flows. Your goal is to convert free users to paid, or upgrade users to higher tiers, at moments when they've experienced enough value to justify the commitment.
odoo-upgrade-advisor
Step-by-step Odoo version upgrade advisor: pre-upgrade checklist, community vs enterprise upgrade path, OCA module compatibility, and post-upgrade validation.
framework-migration-deps-upgrade
You are a dependency management expert specializing in safe, incremental upgrades of project dependencies. Plan and execute dependency updates with minimal risk, proper testing, and clear migration pa
dependency-management-deps-audit
You are a dependency security expert specializing in vulnerability scanning, license compliance, and supply chain security. Analyze project dependencies for known vulnerabilities, licensing issues, outdated packages, and provide actionable remediation strategies.
find-skills
Helps users discover and install agent skills when they ask questions like "how do I do X", "find a skill for X", "is there a skill that can...", or express interest in extending capabilities. This skill should be used when the user is looking for functionality that might exist as an installable skill.
vercel-cli-with-tokens
Deploy and manage projects on Vercel using token-based authentication. Use when working with Vercel CLI using access tokens rather than interactive login — e.g. "deploy to vercel", "set up vercel", "add environment variables to vercel".
vercel-react-view-transitions
Guide for implementing smooth, native-feeling animations using React's View Transition API (`<ViewTransition>` component, `addTransitionType`, and CSS view transition pseudo-elements). Use this skill whenever the user wants to add page transitions, animate route changes, create shared element animations, animate enter/exit of components, animate list reorder, implement directional (forward/back) navigation animations, or integrate view transitions in Next.js. Also use when the user mentions view transitions, `startViewTransition`, `ViewTransition`, transition types, or asks about animating between UI states in React without third-party animation libraries.
vercel-react-native-skills
React Native and Expo best practices for building performant mobile apps. Use when building React Native components, optimizing list performance, implementing animations, or working with native modules. Triggers on tasks involving React Native, Expo, mobile performance, or native platform APIs.
deploy-to-vercel
Deploy applications and websites to Vercel. Use when the user requests deployment actions like "deploy my app", "deploy and give me the link", "push this live", or "create a preview deployment".
vercel-composition-patterns
React composition patterns that scale. Use when refactoring components with boolean prop proliferation, building flexible component libraries, or designing reusable APIs. Triggers on tasks involving compound components, render props, context providers, or component architecture. Includes React 19 API changes.
vercel-deploy
Deploy applications and websites to Vercel. Use this skill when the user requests deployment actions such as "Deploy my app", "Deploy this to production", "Create a preview deployment", "Deploy and give me the link", or "Push this live". No authentication required - returns preview URL and claimable deployment link.