Node Dependency Bumper

Use Taze to build one structured update plan, apply compatible ranged updates, and make major-version decisions as a batch.

Adding Dependencies

For a new package or CLI, use the repository's package manager and existing range convention instead of Taze. Installing package@latest and retaining the package manager's resulting ^x.y.z range is allowed. Do not replace a caret range with an exact version merely because it can admit future releases.

When an effective package-manager minimum-release-age policy exists, it provides the freshness boundary for candidate versions; read [references/conditional-workflows.md](references/conditional-workflows.md). The committed lockfile and frozen deployment install provide reproducibility. Exact-pin only when the user or repository requires it, a known compatibility constraint justifies it, or the package will run without a committed lockfile and frozen install.

Workflow

1. Resolve the skill directory and save the helper plan from the target repository:

``sh bash <skill-dir>/scripts/run-taze.sh --plan [--include package-a,package-b] > <taze-plan.json> ``

The JSON plan classifies every discovered update as apply, review-major, review, or skip-fixed. The helper detects monorepos, includes locked versions during scans, and mirrors Bun minimum-release-age settings. If the repository uses package-manager age gates or Bun catalogs, read [references/conditional-workflows.md](references/conditional-workflows.md) for that active branch only.

1. If --dry-run was requested, present the plan and counts, then stop without changing manifests or lockfiles.

1. Select every ranged minor/patch update marked apply. Never auto-approve a major package by name. Present all

review-major and unknown updates in one decision batch with current version, target version, package role when discoverable, and relevant migration/release notes. Apply only the majors the user selects.

1. If nothing is selected, report the no-op and stop. If the root manifest uses Bun catalogs, preview the exact selected

catalog transitions from the accepted plan:

``sh uv run <skill-dir>/scripts/update-bun-catalogs.py \ --root <repo> --plan <taze-plan.json> --include package-a,package-b ``

The preview is read-only. Missing catalog entries, conflicting plan rows, unsupported versions, or a catalog value that no longer matches the plan fail before writes. The helper does not select upgrades.

1. Before the first manifest or lockfile write, discover and run the repository's standard validation suite against the

existing dependency state. Prefer its advertised aggregate check; otherwise run every exposed dependency-resolution, build, test, typecheck, lint, formatting-check, codegen-check, and repository-invariant command. Use frozen or non-writing modes where available, and record the exact commands for the post-bump rerun. Attribute every failure before deciding whether it blocks. Proceed when an unrelated pre-existing failure is reproducible, can be compared after the bump, and does not prevent dependency resolution or the checks needed to detect regressions; do not fix it as part of the bump. Dependency or peer-resolution conflicts, actionable unsafe behavior, or a baseline that cannot provide trustworthy before/after signal block the bump. In that case, stop with ### ⛔ Dependency bump blocked — baseline unusable and report the exact prerequisite and diagnostics without asking for redundant authorization. Informational notices such as unavoidable deprecations do not block.

1. Write all selected Taze updates in one command:

``sh bash <skill-dir>/scripts/run-taze.sh --write --include package-a,package-b ``

1. For Bun catalogs, rerun update-bun-catalogs.py with the same plan and include set plus --write. It atomically

updates every matching default/named catalog occurrence and preserves each existing ^, ~, or empty prefix. Then run ni so the repository's package manager updates its lockfile.

1. Inspect the manifest and lockfile diff. Rerun the exact baseline commands, plus the narrowest checks that exercise

the updated dependencies and any required migrations. Treat every newly introduced error, type issue, check failure (including tests, builds, lint, formatting, codegen, and repository invariants), dependency or peer-resolution conflict, and actionable compatibility or safety warning as caused by the bump unless evidence shows otherwise.

1. Fix every issue caused by the bump, including required source or configuration migrations, while preserving intended

behavior. Do not suppress diagnostics, weaken validation, or change expected behavior merely to make checks pass. After each fix, rerun the affected check, then rerun the complete recorded suite until it passes. If no clear safe fix exists within the task's authority, stop with ### ⚠️ Dependency regression decision required. Present all such issues in one table with the evidence, affected locations, fix and revert options, and likely effects. Do not report completion until the user chooses, the fix is applied or the offending update is reverted, the lockfile is regenerated, and the complete suite passes.

User-Facing Output

Present plans as ### 📦 Dependency plan with counts and a compact table:

Use the plan's exact apply, review-major, review, and skip-fixed values alongside plain-language decisions. Assign stable IDs to rows needing a choice so the user can answer once. Use ### 🔎 Dry run — no files written for a preview and ### ✅ No selected updates for a no-op.

Finish applied work with ### 🏁 Dependencies updated, a tree of changed manifests/lockfiles, and ### 🧪 Verification. Use ### ⚠️ Remaining review only for non-blocking informational matters, never for an unresolved issue caused by the bump. Keep helper JSON, package/version strings, commands, and diagnostics exact and undecorated.

Invariants

• Fixed versions and non-semver protocols remain unchanged unless the user explicitly asks otherwise.
• Caret ranges are valid for new dependencies and CLIs; do not describe them as unreproducible when a committed lockfile

and frozen install control resolution.

• Package arguments constrain both scan and write phases.
• The same maturity-period policy applies to scan and write.
• Bun catalog preview and write use the same accepted Taze plan and selected package set; stale plans never write.
• Do not infer compatibility from SemVer alone when repository evidence, peer ranges, or release notes indicate

otherwise.

Completion requires an attributed, comparison-safe pre-write baseline, a reviewed plan, the retained selected updates, a regenerated lockfile, no new failure in the recorded suite or dependency-specific checks, and no unresolved issue caused by the bump. Dry-run completion requires the structured plan and zero writes.