How to update dependencies

Updating dependencies can be tedious, but neglecting them is not a good idea. Here’s how to update dependencies efficiently using bun.

Updating Package Dependencies

The recommended way is using npm-check-updates. With bun, you don’t need to install it globally - just use bunx:

# Check all available updates
bunx npm-check-updates

Update by severity

Patch updates (safe, bug fixes only):

bunx npm-check-updates -u --target patch
bun install

Minor updates (new features, usually safe):

bunx npm-check-updates -i --target minor
bun install

Major updates (breaking changes, be careful):

bunx npm-check-updates -i
bun install

For major updates, always read the release notes before updating.

Interactive mode

Use -i flag to select which packages to update:

bunx npm-check-updates -i

If no more packages to update, you’re done.

Prove the build output

For an upgrade that must leave the published site unchanged, build the old and new commits in separate worktrees. Use the same cache/fonts/ files in both. Google Fonts can return different font files to two fresh builds, which would change the generated images even if the code is identical.

Run the comparison from the new worktree:

just parity /absolute/old/dist /absolute/new/dist --json /absolute/parity.json

The command exits 0 with IDENTICAL when routes, page content, images, feeds, search postings, and assets match. Read the JSON report for any material finding. If the upgrade intentionally changes output, record each accepted finding’s exact fingerprint and its reason in a ledger, then rerun with --accept /absolute/ledger.json. A later change gets a different fingerprint and must be reviewed again.

Capture the browser matrix when the upgrade can change rendering or navigation:

just shots capture /absolute/old/dist --out /absolute/old-shots --port 4391
just shots capture /absolute/new/dist --out /absolute/new-shots --port 4392
just shots diff /absolute/old-shots /absolute/new-shots --json /absolute/shots.json

The diff report gives a changed-pixel ratio for each of the 44 shots and identifies the selected image files where pixels changed. Use ports 4391 to 4399; port 4320 belongs to the developer’s server.