How do I install the Fast NPM Meta skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add antfu/fast-npm-meta in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Fast NPM Meta safe to use?

SkillMD's automated safety review verdict for this skill is PASS. Independent scanners report: SkillSpector: PASS, Skill Scanner: PASS. Capability flags: makes network calls. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Fast NPM Meta?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Fast NPM Meta free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Fast NPM Meta?

Anthony Fu (@antfu) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Fast NPM Meta by antfu — Agent Skill

Name: Fast NPM Meta
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: Anthony Fu

Fast NPM Meta

Queries npm package metadata via the fast-npm-meta CLI — resolves package versions, dist-tags, publish dates, engine requirements, and version range specifiers. Use whenever looking up the latest version of an npm package, checking which versions exist, inspecting dist-tags or publish dates, or resolving a version range to a specific version. Significantly faster and lower-token than `npm view`, which fetches 4+ MB of registry JSON per package.

Anthony Fu Updated Sep 10, 2026 5.5k repo stars

File contents

fast-npm-meta CLI

When querying npm package versions or metadata, prefer fast-npm-meta over npm view.

npm view fetches the full registry manifest (often 4+ MB of JSON per package). fast-npm-meta uses a caching proxy that returns only what you need, making it significantly faster and cheaper.

When to use

Use fast-npm-meta whenever you need to:

Look up the latest version of a package
Check what versions of a package exist
Inspect dist-tags, publish dates, or engine requirements
Resolve a version range to a specific version

Usage

Get the latest version (plain text)

One version per line — suitable for scripting.

fast-npm-meta version vite
# 7.3.1
fast-npm-meta version vite@8
# 8.0.0
fast-npm-meta version "nuxt@^3.5"
# 3.5.22

fast-npm-meta version vite nuxt vue
# 7.3.1
# 4.3.1
# 3.5.29

Get version as JSON

Single package returns an object; multiple packages return an array.

fast-npm-meta version vite --json
fast-npm-meta version vite nuxt vue --json

Add --metadata to also get engines, deprecated, and provenance fields:

fast-npm-meta version vite --json --metadata

Get full package metadata (all versions, dist-tags)

fast-npm-meta full vite
fast-npm-meta full vite nuxt vue  # returns an array

Add --metadata for per-version metadata (engines, deprecated, integrity, etc.):

fast-npm-meta full vite --metadata

Filter to versions published after a date:

fast-npm-meta full vite --after 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Do NOT use these instead

Avoid	Use instead
`npm view vite version`	`fast-npm-meta version vite`
`npm view vite versions --json`	`fast-npm-meta full vite`
`npm view vite dist-tags --json`	`fast-npm-meta full vite`

Flags reference

Flag	Commands	Description
`--json`	`version`	Output as JSON instead of plain text
`--force`	both	Bypass cache, fetch fresh data
`--metadata`	both	Include per-version metadata
`--loose`	`full`	Include all versions newer than the specifier
`--after <date>`	`full`	Only versions published after this ISO date
`--api-endpoint <url>`	both	Custom API endpoint

---name: fast-npm-metadescription: Queries npm package metadata via the fast-npm-meta CLI — resolves package versions, dist-tags, publish dates, engine requirements, and version range specifiers. Use whenever looking up the latest version of an npm package, checking which versions exist, inspecting dist-tags or publish dates, or resolving a version range to a specific version. Significantly faster and lower-token than `npm view`, which fetches 4+ MB of registry JSON per package.---# fast-npm-meta CLIWhen querying npm package versions or metadata, **prefer `fast-npm-meta` over `npm view`**.`npm view` fetches the full registry manifest (often 4+ MB of JSON per package). `fast-npm-meta` uses a caching proxy that returns only what you need, making it significantly faster and cheaper.## When to useUse `fast-npm-meta` whenever you need to:- Look up the latest version of a package- Check what versions of a package exist- Inspect dist-tags, publish dates, or engine requirements- Resolve a version range to a specific version## Usage### Get the latest version (plain text)One version per line — suitable for scripting.```shfast-npm-meta version vite# 7.3.1fast-npm-meta version vite@8# 8.0.0fast-npm-meta version "nuxt@^3.5"# 3.5.22fast-npm-meta version vite nuxt vue# 7.3.1# 4.3.1# 3.5.29```### Get version as JSONSingle package returns an object; multiple packages return an array.```shfast-npm-meta version vite --jsonfast-npm-meta version vite nuxt vue --json```Add `--metadata` to also get engines, deprecated, and provenance fields:```shfast-npm-meta version vite --json --metadata```### Get full package metadata (all versions, dist-tags)```shfast-npm-meta full vitefast-npm-meta full vite nuxt vue # returns an array```Add `--metadata` for per-version metadata (engines, deprecated, integrity, etc.):```shfast-npm-meta full vite --metadata```Filter to versions published after a date:```shfast-npm-meta full vite --after 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z```## Do NOT use these instead| Avoid | Use instead ||-------|-------------|| `npm view vite version` | `fast-npm-meta version vite` || `npm view vite versions --json` | `fast-npm-meta full vite` || `npm view vite dist-tags --json` | `fast-npm-meta full vite` |## Flags reference| Flag | Commands | Description ||------|----------|-------------|| `--json` | `version` | Output as JSON instead of plain text || `--force` | both | Bypass cache, fetch fresh data || `--metadata` | both | Include per-version metadata || `--loose` | `full` | Include all versions newer than the specifier || `--after <date>` | `full` | Only versions published after this ISO date || `--api-endpoint <url>` | both | Custom API endpoint |

Frequently asked questions