Update Dependencies
Updates pinned dependency versions safely by letting the package manager resolve new versions, then repinning and verifying with tests.
Scope
Decide what to update before starting:
- Single package: Update one specific dependency
- All packages: Update every dependency in the project
Workflow
1. Snapshot current state
Save the current dependency file and lock file so you can rollback:
git stash --include-untracked -m "pre-dependency-update"
Or simply rely on git checkout if the working tree is clean.
2. Unpin versions
Remove version pins from the dependencies you want to update:
- Single package: Remove the version pin from that one entry
- All packages: Remove version pins from all entries
3. Resolve new versions
Run the package manager to resolve and install the latest versions.
- Single package: Use the package manager's targeted upgrade command
- All packages: Use the package manager's full upgrade command
4. Read resolved versions
Read the resolved versions from the install output or lock file.
5. Repin exact versions
Update the dependency file with the exact versions the resolver chose.
6. Verify resolution is consistent
Run the package manager again to confirm the pinned versions match.
7. Migrate breaking changes
Check each updated dependency for breaking changes, using the changelog or release notes. Look first at major version bumps.
If there are breaking changes, migrate the code to the new API before committing. Do not commit an update that leaves the code broken or deprecated.
8. Run tests
Run the full test suite to verify nothing broke.
9. Handle test failure
If tests fail after updating:
- Identify which dependency caused the failure
- If a breaking change caused it, migrate the code and run the tests again
- If the failure cannot be migrated, rollback to the previous state
- Report which dependency and version caused the issue
- Consider updating dependencies individually to isolate the problem
Language-Specific Details
- Python: See PYTHON.md