NPM Package Release Hardening

npm Package Release Hardening

Goal

Take an npm package from "works locally" to "honest, inspectable, and safe to publish." Prioritize real verification over vibes: package tarball contents, runtime contract, CI, GitHub settings, and dependency-update hygiene.

Start Here

1. Confirm the exact repo:

pwd
git status --short --branch
git remote -v

2. Inspect the package surface:

cat package.json
ls -la
find .github -maxdepth 3 -type f -print 2>/dev/null

3. Detect the package manager from lockfiles:

• package-lock.json -> npm
• pnpm-lock.yaml -> pnpm
• yarn.lock -> yarn

Use npm commands below as defaults, but translate to the detected package manager when needed.

Package Contract

Make package.json tell the truth:

• name: publish target is intentional and available
• version: current intended publish version
• description, keywords: useful enough for registry search
• license: present and matches LICENSE
• repository, homepage, bugs: point at the public repo. If the public repo URL is not final yet, flag these as an explicit pre-publish TODO rather than silently leaving them out
• type, exports, main, bin: match what users will import or run
• files: limits the tarball to publishable artifacts
• engines.node: minimum runtime the package actually supports
• prepublishOnly or equivalent: prevents publishing stale build output

For CLI packages, confirm the bin target is built, executable where relevant, and smoke-tested through the command users will run.

Runtime Floor Rule

The Node engine is a promise, not decoration.

• If engines.node says >=20, CI must test Node 20.
• Keep @types/node on the same major line as the minimum supported runtime.
• Prefer exact-pinning @types/node to the latest patch on that runtime line.
• Do not merge @types/node major bumps above the runtime floor unless you also raise engines.node.
• engines.node is advisory: npm only warns and does not hard-block install unless the user sets engine-strict, so CI on the floor version is what actually enforces the promise.

Why: Node types are dev-only, but they change what TypeScript allows. @types/node@26 can let code compile while using APIs that fail for users on Node 20.

Verification Commands

For npm projects:

npm ci
npm run build --if-present
npm test --if-present
npm audit --omit=dev
npm pack --dry-run

For pnpm/yarn, use the equivalent install/build/test/audit/pack commands. If audit support differs, say so instead of pretending.

For CLIs, also run at least one outside-in smoke test:

node dist/path/to/cli.js --help
npm pack --dry-run

If practical, install the packed .tgz in a temp directory and run the binary exactly as a user would.

Tarball Review

npm pack --dry-run is the registry truth surface. Check for:

• includes built output
• includes README.md and LICENSE
• excludes source-only junk, temp files, tests, private docs, fixtures, local databases, secrets
• package size is reasonable
• CLI bin path appears in the tarball

If files is missing, add it. Do not rely on .gitignore as publish policy.

GitHub Baseline

Add or verify:

• .github/workflows/ci.yml
• .github/dependabot.yml
• .github/CODEOWNERS
• .github/pull_request_template.md
• SECURITY.md

Use current supported major versions for GitHub-owned actions. If Actions warns that an action runtime is deprecated, update the action major after CI passes.

CI should usually include:

permissions:
  contents: read

concurrency:
  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
  cancel-in-progress: true

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    timeout-minutes: 10
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@CURRENT_MAJOR
      - uses: actions/setup-node@CURRENT_MAJOR
        with:
          node-version: 20
          cache: npm
      - run: npm ci
      - run: npm run build --if-present
      - run: npm test --if-present

Adjust node-version to the package's minimum supported runtime, and replace each @CURRENT_MAJOR with the action's current major tag (for example actions/checkout@v4) — pin to a real major, never commit the placeholder.

Dependabot Baseline

Configure both package and GitHub Actions updates:

version: 2
updates:
  - package-ecosystem: npm
    directory: /
    schedule:
      interval: weekly
    open-pull-requests-limit: 5
    commit-message:
      prefix: deps
      include: scope

  - package-ecosystem: github-actions
    directory: /
    schedule:
      interval: weekly
    open-pull-requests-limit: 5
    commit-message:
      prefix: deps
      include: scope

When Dependabot opens PRs immediately after config lands, treat that as proof the config is live. Triage the PRs; do not blindly merge all green checks.

Dependabot Triage

Use this rule of thumb:

• Runtime dependency patch/minor: merge if checks pass and release notes are boring.
• Runtime dependency major: inspect release notes and smoke-test real package behavior.
• Dev tooling major: merge if build/test/pack pass and it does not alter the runtime contract.
• @types/node above the runtime floor: close or replace with a pin to the runtime floor.
• GitHub Actions major: merge if CI passes and it removes deprecation warnings.

If two PRs conflict in a small config file, merge one and update the other, or apply the second directly with a clear comment explaining it was superseded.

GitHub Remote Hardening

Apply what the repo/account supports, then verify the actual settings with gh or API reads.

Useful settings:

gh repo edit OWNER/REPO \
  --delete-branch-on-merge \
  --enable-squash-merge \
  --enable-merge-commit=false \
  --enable-rebase-merge=false \
  --allow-update-branch

gh api --method PUT repos/OWNER/REPO/vulnerability-alerts --silent
gh api --method PUT repos/OWNER/REPO/automated-security-fixes --silent
gh api --method PUT repos/OWNER/REPO/actions/permissions/workflow \
  -f default_workflow_permissions=read \
  -F can_approve_pull_request_reviews=false --silent

For Actions allowlists, prefer GitHub-owned actions only when the workflow uses only GitHub-owned actions. If third-party actions are required, explicitly allow the smallest set.

Public repos usually unlock more security controls. Private repos on free plans may block:

• branch protection or rulesets
• code scanning
• secret scanning
• push protection

Call blockers out plainly. Do not report unavailable controls as enabled.

Branch Protection

When available, protect the default branch with:

• require pull request before merging
• require CI status checks
• require branches to be up to date if that fits the project
• require conversation resolution
• block force pushes
• block deletions
• require linear history if using squash-only merges

After enabling protection, stop direct-pushing to main unless the user explicitly asks and understands the bypass.

Gated PR Tools

If using an automated review/gate tool, make sure the remote has a default/base branch before asking the gate to create a PR. Empty new remotes often need an initial main push first; otherwise the gate can validate and push a feature branch but fail PR creation because there is no base ref.

Publish Checklist

Before npm publish:

• npm whoami shows the intended account
• npm view PACKAGE_NAME name version confirms name state
• CI is green on the commit being published
• npm pack --dry-run has been reviewed
• README install/use examples match actual behavior
• repository, homepage, and bugs resolve to the real public repo (or are explicitly flagged as TODO if the URL is not final)
• no release-blocking Dependabot/security alerts remain
• version bump is intentional, tagged in git (git tag vX.Y.Z && git push --tags), and reflected in a CHANGELOG or GitHub release
• scoped packages (@scope/name) publish with --access public (scoped packages default to restricted/private)

For accounts using web/passkey/2FA auth:

npm publish --auth-type=web

Prefer publishing from CI with provenance for a verifiable supply-chain link. Provenance requires a public package, a supported CI such as GitHub Actions, and id-token: write permission on the job:

npm publish --provenance --access public

After publish:

npm view PACKAGE_NAME version
npm view PACKAGE_NAME bin files engines repository --json
npx -y PACKAGE_NAME --help

If published with provenance, confirm the registry shows the provenance / "Built and signed" attestation on the package page.

Final Response

Report only what was actually verified:

• package checks run
• tarball result
• dependency PR decisions
• commits/PRs created or merged
• GitHub settings confirmed
• controls blocked by plan/visibility
• release tag and provenance status, if published
• publish command or post-publish verification if still user-owned