dependency-updater

connorads/dotfiles · updated Apr 8, 2026

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$npx skills add https://github.com/connorads/dotfiles --skill dependency-updater
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summary

Smart dependency management for any language with automatic detection and safe updates.

skill.md

Dependency Updater

Smart dependency management for any language with automatic detection and safe updates.


Quick Start

update my dependencies

The skill auto-detects your project type and handles the rest.


Triggers

Trigger Example
Update dependencies "update dependencies", "update deps"
Check outdated "check for outdated packages"
Fix dependency issues "fix my dependency problems"
Security audit "audit dependencies for vulnerabilities"
Diagnose deps "diagnose dependency issues"

Supported Languages

Language Package File Update Tool Audit Tool
Node.js package.json taze npm audit
Python requirements.txt, pyproject.toml pip-review safety, pip-audit
Go go.mod go get -u govulncheck
Rust Cargo.toml cargo update cargo audit
Ruby Gemfile bundle update bundle audit
Java pom.xml, build.gradle mvn versions:* mvn dependency:*
.NET *.csproj dotnet outdated dotnet list package --vulnerable

Quick Reference

Update Type Version Change Action
Fixed No ^ or ~ Skip (intentionally pinned)
PATCH x.y.zx.y.Z Auto-apply
MINOR x.y.zx.Y.0 Auto-apply
MAJOR x.y.zX.0.0 Prompt user individually

Workflow

User Request
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Step 1: DETECT PROJECT TYPE                         │
│ • Scan for package files (package.json, go.mod...) │
│ • Identify package manager                          │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Step 2: CHECK PREREQUISITES                         │
│ • Verify required tools are installed               │
│ • Suggest installation if missing                   │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Step 3: SCAN FOR UPDATES                            │
│ • Run language-specific outdated check              │
│ • Categorize: MAJOR / MINOR / PATCH / Fixed         │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Step 4: AUTO-APPLY SAFE UPDATES                     │
│ • Apply MINOR and PATCH automatically               │
│ • Report what was updated                           │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Step 5: PROMPT FOR MAJOR UPDATES                    │
│ • AskUserQuestion for each MAJOR update             │
│ • Show current → new version                        │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Step 6: APPLY APPROVED MAJORS                       │
│ • Update only approved packages                     │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Step 7: FINALIZE                                    │
│ • Run install command                               │
│ • Run security audit                                │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Commands by Language

Node.js (npm/yarn/pnpm)

# Check prerequisites
scripts/check-tool.sh taze "npm install -g taze"

# Scan for updates
taze

# Apply minor/patch
taze minor --write

# Apply specific majors
taze major --write --include pkg1,pkg2

# Monorepo support
taze -r  # recursive

# Security
npm audit
npm audit fix

Python

# Check outdated
pip list --outdated

# Update all (careful!)
pip-review --auto

# Update specific
pip install --upgrade package-name

# Security
pip-audit
safety check

Go

# Check outdated
go list -m -u all

# Update all
go get -u ./...

# Tidy up
go mod tidy

# Security
govulncheck ./...

Rust

# Check outdated
cargo outdated

# Update within semver
cargo update

# Security
cargo audit

Ruby

# Check outdated
bundle outdated

# Update all
bundle update

# Update specific
bundle update --conservative gem-name

# Security
bundle audit

Java (Maven)

# Check outdated
mvn versions:display-dependency-updates

# Update to latest
mvn versions:use-latest-releases

# Security
mvn dependency:tree
mvn dependency-check:check

.NET

# Check outdated
dotnet list package --outdated

# Update specific
dotnet add package PackageName

# Security
dotnet list package --vulnerable

Diagnosis Mode

When dependencies are broken, run diagnosis:

Common Issues & Fixes

Issue Symptoms Fix
Version Conflict "Cannot resolve dependency tree" Clean install, use overrides/resolutions
Peer Dependency "Peer dependency not satisfied" Install required peer version
Security Vuln npm audit shows issues npm audit fix or manual update
Unused Deps Bloated bundle Run depcheck (Node) or equivalent
Duplicate Deps Multiple versions installed Run npm dedupe or equivalent

Emergency Fixes

# Node.js - Nuclear reset
rm -rf node_modules package-lock.json
npm cache clean --force
npm install

# Python - Clean virtualenv
rm -rf venv
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Go - Reset modules
rm go.sum
go mod tidy

Security Audit

Run security checks for any project:

# Node.js
npm audit
npm audit --json | jq '.metadata.vulnerabilities'

# Python
pip-audit
safety check

# Go
govulncheck ./...

# Rust
cargo audit

# Ruby
bundle audit

# .NET
dotnet list package --vulnerable

Severity Response

Severity Action
Critical Fix immediately
High Fix within 24h
Moderate Fix within 1 week
Low Fix in next release

Anti-Patterns

Avoid Why Instead
Update fixed versions Intentionally pinned Skip them
Auto-apply MAJOR Breaking changes Prompt user
Batch MAJOR prompts Loses context Prompt individually
Skip lock file Irreproducible builds Always commit lock files
Ignore security alerts Vulnerabilities Address by severity

Verification Checklist

After updates:

  • Updates scanned without errors
  • MINOR/PATCH auto-applied
  • MAJOR updates prompted individually
  • Fixed versions untouched
  • Lock file updated
  • Install command ran
  • Security audit passed (or issues noted)

The skill auto-detects project type by scanning for package files:

File Found Language Package Manager
package.json Node.js npm/yarn/pnpm
requirements.txt Python pip
pyproject.toml Python pip/poetry
Pipfile Python pipenv
go.mod Go go modules
Cargo.toml Rust cargo
Gemfile Ruby bundler
pom.xml Java Maven
build.gradle Java/Kotlin Gradle
*.csproj .NET dotnet

Detection order matters for monorepos:

  1. Check current directory first
  2. Then check for workspace/monorepo patterns
  3. Offer to run recursively if applicable

Prerequisites

# Install taze globally (recommended)
npm install -g taze

# Or use npx
npx taze

Smart Update Flow

# 1. Scan all updates
taze

# 2. Apply safe updates (minor + patch)
taze minor --write

# 3. For each major, prompt user:
#    "Update @types/node from ^20.0.0 to ^22.0.0?"
#    If yes, add to approved list

# 4. Apply approved majors
taze major --write --include approved-pkg1,approved-pkg2

# 5. Install
npm install  # or pnpm install / yarn

Auto-Approve List

Some packages have frequent major bumps but are backward-compatible:

Package Reason
lucide-react Icon library, majors are additive
@types/* Type definitions, usually safe

Semantic Versioning

MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH (e.g., 2.3.1)

MAJOR: Breaking changes - requires code changes
MINOR: New features - backward compatible
PATCH: Bug fixes - backward compatible

Range Specifiers

Specifier Meaning Example
^1.2.3 Minor + Patch OK >=1.2.3 <2.0.0
~1.2.3 Patch only >=1.2.3 <1.3.0
1.2.3 Exact (fixed) Only 1.2.3
>=1.2.3 At least Any >=1.2.3
* Any Latest (dangerous)

Recommended Strategy

{
  "dependencies": {
    "critical-lib": "1.2.3",      // Exact for critical
    "stable-lib": "~1.2.3",       // Patch only for stable
    "modern-lib": "^1.2.3"        // Minor OK for active
  }
}

Node.js Conflicts

Diagnosis:

npm ls package-name      # See dependency tree
npm explain package-name # Why installed
yarn why package-name    # Yarn equivalent

Resolution with overrides:

// package.json
{
  "overrides": {
    "
how to use dependency-updater

How to use dependency-updater on Cursor

AI-first code editor with Composer

1

Prerequisites

Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:

  • Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
  • Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with node --version)
  • Active project directory or workspace where you want to add dependency-updater
2

Execute installation command

Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:

$npx skills add https://github.com/connorads/dotfiles --skill dependency-updater

The skills CLI fetches dependency-updater from GitHub repository connorads/dotfiles and configures it for Cursor.

3

Select Cursor when prompted

The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:

◆ Which agents do you want to install to?
│ ── Universal (.agents/skills) ── always included ────
│ • Amp
│ • Antigravity
│ • Cline
│ • Codex
│ ●Cursor(selected)
│ • Cursor
│ • Windsurf
4

Verify installation

Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:

.cursor/skills/dependency-updater

Reload or restart Cursor to activate dependency-updater. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /dependency-updater) or your agent's skill management interface.

Security & Verification Notice

We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.

Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.

List & Monetize Your Skill

Submit your Claude Code skill and start earning

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Use Cases

User Story & Requirements Generation

Create detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, and feature specs

Example

Generate user stories for 'password reset feature' with acceptance criteria, edge cases, and test scenarios

Reduce spec writing time by 50%, ensure comprehensive coverage

Competitive Analysis

Research competitors, compare features, identify gaps

Example

Analyze 5 competitor products, create feature comparison matrix, suggest differentiation opportunities

Complete competitive research in 2 hours instead of 2 days

Roadmap Prioritization

Evaluate features using frameworks (RICE, ICE, Kano) and create prioritized backlogs

Example

Score 20 feature ideas using RICE framework, generate prioritized roadmap with rationale

Make data-driven prioritization decisions faster

Stakeholder Communication

Draft PRDs, status updates, and stakeholder presentations

Example

Create executive summary of Q3 roadmap, monthly progress report, feature launch announcement

Save 3-5 hours/week on communication overhead

Implementation Guide

Prerequisites

  • Claude Desktop or compatible AI client
  • Access to product documentation and roadmap tools (Jira, Notion, etc.)
  • Understanding of product management frameworks (RICE, Jobs-to-be-Done, etc.)
  • Stakeholder contact information and communication channels

Time Estimate

30-60 minutes to see productivity improvements

Installation Steps

  1. 1.Install product management skill
  2. 2.Start with user story generation for known feature
  3. 3.Progress to competitive analysis: research 2-3 competitors
  4. 4.Use for roadmap prioritization: apply RICE/ICE scoring
  5. 5.Draft stakeholder communications and refine based on feedback
  6. 6.Build template library for recurring PM tasks
  7. 7.Share effective prompts with product team

Common Pitfalls

  • Not validating competitive research—verify facts before sharing
  • Accepting user stories without involving engineering team
  • Over-relying on frameworks without qualitative judgment
  • Not customizing outputs to company culture and communication style
  • Skipping stakeholder validation of generated requirements

Best Practices

✓ Do

  • +Validate research and competitive analysis with real data
  • +Collaborate with engineering when generating technical requirements
  • +Customize frameworks and templates to your company context
  • +Use skill for first drafts, refine with stakeholder input
  • +Document successful prompt patterns for PM tasks
  • +Combine AI efficiency with human judgment and intuition

✗ Don't

  • Don't publish competitive analysis without fact-checking
  • Don't finalize user stories without engineering review
  • Don't make prioritization decisions solely on AI scoring
  • Don't skip customer validation of generated requirements
  • Don't ignore company-specific context and culture

💡 Pro Tips

  • Provide context: company goals, constraints, customer feedback
  • Ask for alternatives: 'Show 3 ways to prioritize this roadmap'
  • Request stakeholder-specific formatting: 'Executive summary vs. engineering spec'
  • Use skill for 70% generation + 30% customization to company needs

When to Use This

✓ Use When

Use for user story writing, competitive research, roadmap prioritization, stakeholder communication, and PRD drafting. Best for reducing repetitive documentation and research work.

✗ Avoid When

Avoid for strategic product vision (requires deep customer empathy), pricing decisions (needs market and financial expertise), or when face-to-face customer discovery is more valuable than speed.

Learning Path

  1. 1Basic: user stories, feature specs, status updates
  2. 2Intermediate: competitive analysis, prioritization frameworks, PRDs
  3. 3Advanced: product strategy, go-to-market planning, OKR setting
  4. 4Expert: product vision, market positioning, business model innovation

Discussion

Product Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)
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general reviews

Ratings

4.559 reviews
  • Xiao Ndlovu· Dec 28, 2024

    Useful defaults in dependency-updater — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.

  • Soo White· Dec 16, 2024

    Registry listing for dependency-updater matched our evaluation — installs cleanly and behaves as described in the markdown.

  • Naina Flores· Dec 16, 2024

    dependency-updater has been reliable in day-to-day use. Documentation quality is above average for community skills.

  • Xiao Li· Dec 8, 2024

    Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: dependency-updater is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.

  • Naina Ramirez· Dec 4, 2024

    dependency-updater is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.

  • Rahul Santra· Nov 27, 2024

    I recommend dependency-updater for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.

  • Kwame Sethi· Nov 27, 2024

    We added dependency-updater from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.

  • Soo Harris· Nov 23, 2024

    dependency-updater reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.

  • James Diallo· Nov 7, 2024

    I recommend dependency-updater for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.

  • James Reddy· Nov 7, 2024

    Keeps context tight: dependency-updater is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.

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