node-dep-resolver

A lightweight, transparent JavaScript dependency graph builder and semver conflict resolution engine with backtracking search.

node-dep-resolver analyzes package dependencies, constructs visual dependency trees, highlights version conflicts across transitive packages, and uses a backtracking algorithm to find compatible resolution trees.

Features

• Dependency Graph Visualization: Recursively traces root and transitive dependencies, rendering clear ASCII tree structures.
• Semver Conflict Detection: Identifies overlapping or incompatible version constraints requested across different packages.
• Backtracking Resolution Engine: Evaluates alternative candidate package versions to automatically resolve conflicts.
• CLI & Programmatic Library: Use instantly via npx node-dep-resolver or import into Node.js ES Module projects.

Installation & CLI Usage

You can run the CLI directly on any package.json file:

npx node-dep-resolver ./package.json

Or install it globally:

npm install -g node-dep-resolver
dep-resolver ./package.json

CLI Output Preview

[INFO] Analyzing dependencies from './package.json'...

--- Building Dependency Graph ---
[email protected]
  └── accept-hosts ^1.3.8
  └── send 0.18.0

ms [CONFLICT]
  └── requested 2.1.3 by [email protected]
  └── requested 2.0.0 by [email protected]

[WARNING] Conflicts detected in 2 package(s): ms, debug

--- Resolving Conflicts ---
Starting resolution...

[SUCCESS] Valid dependency tree found.

========== RESOLVED DEPENDENCY SOLUTION ==========

  [OK] express: 4.18.2 (satisfies requested range '4.18.2')
  [OK] express-rate-limit: 7.5.0 (satisfies requested range '7.5.0')
  [UPGRADE] axios: 1.7.0 -> 1.20.0 (satisfies requested range '^1.7.0')

Programmatic Usage (Node.js / ESM)

Install as a dependency in your Node.js project:

npm install node-dep-resolver

Resolving Dependencies Programmatically

import Resolver, { Registry, Graph } from "node-dep-resolver";

const rootDependencies = {
  "express": "4.18.2",
  "express-rate-limit": "7.5.0",
  "axios": "^1.7.0"
};

// 1. Resolve conflicts
const resolver = new Resolver(rootDependencies);
const solution = await resolver.resolve();

for (const [packageName, data] of solution) {
  console.log(`${packageName}@${data.version}`);
}

// 2. Fetch registry metadata
const registry = new Registry();
const resolvedVersion = await registry.resolveVersion("axios", "^1.0.0");
console.log(`Resolved axios version: ${resolvedVersion}`);

Architecture

Built with a modular, Object-Oriented design:

• Registry: Manages NPM registry HTTP requests and caches package version metadata.
• Constraint: Tracks requested Semver ranges per dependency and detects overlaps.
• Conflict: Maintains state sets of active dependency conflicts.
• Candidates: Generates candidate alternative versions for conflicting transitive dependencies.
• Graph: Constructs and formats dependency hierarchy trees.
• Resolver: Orchestrates state snapshots and backtracking resolution search.

License

MIT (c) debanjan