Change dependencies

Change Dependencies

Change external dependencies through primary evidence, the repository's native tooling, and a verified compatibility boundary.

Establish the change

• Identify the exact package, current and target versions, reason, affected manifests and lockfiles, supported runtimes, platforms, and deployment constraints.
• For an addition, prove the existing platform or dependency set does not already provide the needed capability.
• For a replacement or removal, trace every direct consumer, generated artifact, plugin, peer dependency, and runtime integration before editing.
• Keep unrelated dependency churn out of scope.

Inspect the baseline

• Read package-manager configuration, manifests, lockfiles, toolchain pins, workspace boundaries, and the dependency's real call sites.
• Inspect the resolved dependency graph, including relevant transitive and peer dependencies.
• Run the smallest meaningful baseline: deterministic install or restore, static checks, focused tests, build, and a representative runtime path.
• Record existing failures separately. Do not attribute them to the dependency change without evidence.

Verify compatibility

• Prefer official package metadata, release notes, migration guides, support matrices, security advisories, and repository documentation.
• Confirm runtime, operating-system, architecture, compiler, framework, peer-dependency, and license compatibility where relevant.
• Identify breaking changes and deprecated behavior at the actual call sites.
• If a security advisory is involved, verify the affected range and fixed version from authoritative sources.
• State uncertainty when primary evidence or repository coverage is incomplete.

Make the smallest coherent change

• Use the repository's native package manager and preserve its configured version and workflow.
• Let the package manager update lockfiles. Do not hand-edit generated lock data.
• Upgrade related package families together only when compatibility requires it.
• Do not use force flags, ignored peer constraints, broad resolution overrides, or disabled integrity checks unless the user explicitly accepts the documented consequence.
• Adapt production code and configuration completely; do not leave compatibility placeholders, dead adapters, or partial migrations.

Inspect the resulting graph

• Review direct and transitive additions, removals, supplier changes, integrity metadata, platform artifacts, and license or security effects.
• Confirm removed dependencies are absent from manifests, lockfiles, code, build outputs, and deployment artifacts.
• Treat unexpected graph expansion or duplicated major versions as a finding to investigate, not an automatic acceptance.

Verify the result

• Run a clean install or restore from the committed manifests and lockfiles.
• Run relevant static checks, focused and broader tests, build or package steps, and representative runtime checks.
• Re-run the applicable security or dependency audit when it can provide a trustworthy signal.
• Report the exact versions resolved, commands run, results, remaining risks, and any unverified environment.
• Do not publish packages or deploy changes without separate authorization.

Completion standard

The dependency change is complete only when the repository resolves reproducibly, affected behavior is adapted, relevant verification passes, and the compatibility and supply-chain impact is understood.