When working with Node.js or React projects, you’ve definitely come across a package.json file. One often overlooked section is the dependencies list — particularly the version numbers with symbols like ^, ~, or *.
Ever wondered what these symbols actually mean? Let’s break them down so you never get confused again.
🔍 What is Semantic Versioning?
Most packages follow Semantic Versioning — a format like:
MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH
Example: 18.2.0
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18 → Major version (breaking changes)
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2 → Minor version (new features, backward compatible)
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0 → Patch version (bug fixes)
🧠 The Meaning of Symbols
1. ^ (Caret)
"react": "^18.2.0"
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Allows updates to minor and patch versions.
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Keeps the major version fixed.
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✅ Accepts:
18.2.1,18.3.0 -
❌ Rejects:
19.0.0
Why? Because major version bumps can include breaking changes.
2. ~ (Tilde)
"react": "~18.2.0"
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Allows updates to the patch version only.
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✅ Accepts:
18.2.1,18.2.9 -
❌ Rejects:
18.3.0
Useful when you want stricter control over the version you’re using.
3. * (Wildcard)
"react": "*"
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Matches any version.
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✅ Accepts: literally any version available on npm.
⚠️ This can be risky, as it may pull in breaking changes.