majiayu000 Exploring Packages
Goal
Get npm package source code locally for reading, stored globally to amortize across projects.
Location
All packages stored in: ~/.claude/package-sources/<package-name>/
Steps
1. Check if already exists
ls ~/.claude/package-sources/<package-name>/ 2>/dev/null
If exists, check if update needed:
cd ~/.claude/package-sources/<package-name> && npm outdated 2>/dev/null
2. Get package (prefer npm pack over git clone)
CRITICAL: Use npm pack + extract, NOT git clone. This gets the actual published package (post-build) matching what's installed in projects, not raw source that may need complex builds.
mkdir -p ~/.claude/package-sources/<package-name>
cd ~/.claude/package-sources/<package-name>
npm pack <package-name> && tar -xzf *.tgz --strip-components=1 && rm *.tgz
This gives you:
- Built/transpiled code (what projects actually import)
- Published types (.d.ts files)
- package.json with exports map
3. For source code (when published package isn't enough)
Only if you need original TypeScript source or tests:
# Get repo URL from package.json
npm view <package-name> repository.url
# Clone to separate directory
git clone --depth 1 <repo-url> ~/.claude/package-sources/<package-name>-src
4. Read the code
Start with:
package.json- exports map, main entry- Type definitions (.d.ts files)
- Actual implementation files
Use Serena MCP's symbolic tools for efficient navigation.
Update existing package
cd ~/.claude/package-sources/<package-name>
rm -rf * && npm pack <package-name> && tar -xzf *.tgz --strip-components=1 && rm *.tgz
Version-specific package
For specific version matching your project:
npm pack <package-name>@<version>
Check project's version:
cat package.json | grep '"<package-name>"'
# or
pnpm list <package-name>
Notes
- Prefer
npm packover git clone - gets published output, not complex source - Global location (~/.claude/package-sources/) amortizes across all projects
- Check existing before fetching - avoid re-downloading
- Match project version when debugging specific issues