How to Check Installed npm Package Version

The correct command to find the version of an installed npm package is npm list <package-name> or its alias npm ls <package-name>. This command displays the installed version of the package along with its dependency tree. You can also use npm list --depth=0 to show only top-level packages with their versions, or npm list -g <package-name> to check globally installed packages.

Contents

• Basic Command for Installed Versions
• Checking Globally Installed Packages
• Alternative Methods and Options
• Common Issues and Troubleshooting
• Practical Examples

Basic Command for Installed Versions

The primary command to check the installed version of an npm package is:

npm list <package-name>

Or using its alias:

npm ls <package-name>

This command will display:

• The installed version of the specified package
• The location where the package is installed
• The dependency hierarchy (unless you use --depth=0)

For example:

npm list express

Output might look like:

my-project@1.0.0 /path/to/project
└── express@4.18.2

The version number 4.18.2 is what you’re looking for.

To see only the installed version without the dependency tree:

npm list <package-name> --depth=0

This gives you a cleaner output focused just on the installed version information.

Checking Globally Installed Packages

For packages installed globally (using npm install -g <package>), you need to add the -g flag:

npm list -g <package-name>
npm ls -g <package-name>

For example:

npm list -g node

This will show you the globally installed version of Node.js.

Alternative Methods and Options

Several alternative approaches can help you find package versions:

Using npm pkg get

The npm pkg get command can retrieve the version from package.json:

npm pkg get dependencies.<package-name>

For example:

npm pkg get dependencies.express

This would output something like:

"4.18.2"

Checking package.json Directly

You can also check the package.json file directly:

npm ls --json <package-name> | jq '.dependencies."<package-name>".version'

Or simpler:

cat package.json | jq -r '.dependencies."<package-name>"'

Using npm outdated

The npm outdated command shows both installed and latest versions:

npm outdated

This will list packages that have newer versions available, showing your current version versus the latest.

Using npm view with Installed Version

You mentioned that npm view <package-name> version shows the registry version. To get the installed version directly, you can combine commands:

npm list <package-name> --depth=0 --json | jq -r '.dependencies."<package-name>"'

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Permission Errors

If you encounter permission errors when checking global packages, you might need to use sudo (though this is generally not recommended):

sudo npm list -g <package-name>

Better approach: Configure npm to use a directory where you have write permissions.

Multiple Node Versions

If you have multiple Node versions installed, make sure you’re using the correct npm instance:

which npm
which node

This shows which npm and Node.js executables are being used.

Package Not Found Errors

If you get “package not found” errors:

1. Make sure the package is actually installed in your project
2. Check if you’re in the correct directory (run from project root)
3. For global packages, ensure they’re installed globally

Long Dependency Trees

The dependency tree can be very long for some projects. To limit output:

npm list <package-name> --depth=1

Practical Examples

Here are some practical examples you can use immediately:

Example 1: Check Express Version

npm list express
# or
npm ls express

Example 2: Check All Top-Level Packages

npm list --depth=0

Example 3: Check React Version Specifically

npm list react --depth=0

Example 4: Check Global Version of TypeScript

npm list -g typescript

Example 5: Get Version as JSON Output

npm list react --json | jq '.dependencies.react.version'

Example 6: Check Multiple Packages at Once

for package in express react lodash; do
  npm list $package --depth=0
done

Sources

1. npm Documentation - npm list
2. npm Documentation - npm pkg get
3. npm Documentation - npm ls
4. Stack Overflow - How to check installed npm package version
5. GitHub npm - List command implementation

Conclusion

The most reliable way to check the installed version of an npm package is using npm list <package-name> or npm ls <package-name>. Remember to use the --depth=0 flag for cleaner output and -g flag for globally installed packages. If you need programmatic access, consider using npm pkg get or JSON output with --json. For complex projects with many dependencies, the dependency tree visualization can help understand version conflicts and upgrade paths. Always run these commands from your project root directory to ensure you’re checking the correct package versions for your specific project context.