reserve.js – Reserve an npm Package Name

This repository contains a tiny CLI tool to help you reserve an npm package name by publishing a minimal placeholder package stored in the packages/ directory.

Usage

node reserve.js <your-desired-package-name>

This command updates:

• packages/package.json – sets "name" to your desired package name.
• packages/README.md – replaces the title and all occurrences of the old package name.

Workflow

1. Set the package name

   node reserve.js my-cool-package

2. Login to npm

   npm login

3. Publish the placeholder

   npm publish ./packages --access public

This publishes version 0.0.1 of a placeholder package, thereby securing the name.

Notes

• The CLI uses only built-in Node.js modules (no dependencies).

• If you make a mistake, you can unpublish within 72 hours:

  npm unpublish --force

The files that actually get published live in the packages/ folder. Everything else can be committed (or ignored) as you prefer.