- name
- NPM Package Scanner
- description
- Scan npm packages used in a repository for risk, maintenance health, and upgrade concerns.
- metadata
- openclaw
- requires
- bins
NPM Package Scanner
Use this skill when you need to inspect the npm packages used by a repository and identify security, maintenance, and dependency risks.
Goal
Produce a practical package-risk review for the current repository:
- what dependencies are installed
- which ones are direct vs transitive
- which ones look stale, risky, or unnecessary
- whether there are known audit issues
- whether version ranges are too loose or outdated
Scope
Focus on:
package.json- lockfiles such as
package-lock.json,bun.lock,pnpm-lock.yaml, oryarn.lock - workspace package manifests
- scripts that introduce package/tooling risk
- duplicated or overlapping dependencies
Use the reference notes in references/checklist.md and references/commands.md when useful.
Workflow
- Find package manifests and lockfiles.
- Read the root
package.jsonand any workspace manifests. - List direct dependencies and devDependencies.
- Check for:
- very old package versions - abandoned or suspicious packages - duplicate packages solving the same problem - unnecessary runtime dependencies - risky postinstall/build hooks - overly broad semver ranges
- Run available package-manager audit commands if appropriate.
- Summarize findings by severity.
- Recommend concrete next steps.
Commands
Prefer fast repo inspection first:
rg --files | rg '(^|/)(package\.json|package-lock\.json|bun\.lock|pnpm-lock\.yaml|yarn\.lock)$'Inspect manifests:
cat package.jsonIf using Bun:
bun pm ls
bun auditIf using npm:
npm ls --depth=0
npm auditIf using pnpm:
pnpm ls --depth=0
pnpm auditIf using yarn:
yarn list --depth=0
yarn auditOutput format
Return:
- High-risk findings
- Medium-risk findings
- Low-risk cleanup items
- Packages worth upgrading soon
- Packages that may be removable
- Exact commands to verify or fix
Review rules
- Prioritize real risk over noise.
- Distinguish direct dependencies from transitive ones.
- Do not recommend upgrades blindly; mention likely blast radius.
- If audit output is noisy, extract only actionable items.
- If no serious issues are found, say so explicitly.
Constraints
- Do not modify dependency versions unless explicitly asked.
- Do not remove packages unless explicitly asked.
- Do not assume a package is abandoned without evidence from the repo context or audit/tool output.