README.md

Update global top level npm packages

Problem

npm update -g updates all global packages and their dependencies, see npm/npm#6247.

Solution

Use the shell script or windows batch instead.

The shell script is forked from https://gist.github.com/othiym23/4ac31155da23962afd0e. See the discussion there.

npm-upgrade.bat

@echo off
setlocal enableextensions enabledelayedexpansion
set packages=
for /f "usebackq delims=: tokens=3" %%f in (`npm -g outdated --parseable --depth=0 -q`) do set packages=!packages! %%f
:: Note: on windows, the first : separates drive in package path.
call npm install -g%packages%
exit /b %errorlevel%

npm-upgrade.sh

#!/bin/sh

set -e
set -x

for package in $(npm -g outdated --parseable --depth=0 -q | cut -d: -f2)
do
    npm -g install "$package"
done