Do not automatically add the packageManager entry into package.json

[will-stone]

Description

When running vp commands in a node+npm project, a packageManager entry in package.json is automatically added. However, we only ever use the version of npm that comes bundled with the node version we're using. By setting this to a number, it can get out of sync with the node version in use.

Suggested solution

Seeing as vp is able to detect an npm project simply by the presence of a package-lock.json file, I suggest not adding this field automatically. Or, if it does, to keep it in sync with the version actually being used with node.

Alternative

No response

Additional context

No response

Validations

• Read the Contributing Guidelines.
• Confirm this request is for Vite+ itself and not for Vite, Vitest, tsdown, Rolldown, or Oxc.
• Check that there isn't already an issue requesting the same feature.

[cpojer]

Yes, it can "get out of sync with what ships with Node.js", but it gives a strict guarantee to every contributor to use the same version of npm. Vite+ manages that version of npm for you, so in that sense your package manager version will never get out of sync across your whole team. For now, we intend to keep it.

[will-stone]

Sorry, I should have given more context. We have managed CI docker containers that use a certain version of npm: the one that comes with node. Therefore we’d end up using a different one locally to the one on the CI pipeline.

[cpojer]

Why don't you just set the package manager version to the one that comes with node?

[will-stone]

Oh, I thought I tried that and vp overwrote it. I’ll give it go when I’m at my desk. This does however mean that we need to keep an eye on the npm version and update that value.

Out of interest, is vp downloading the most up to date version, or the version set in that field, or is it just finding out what’s latest and putting that number there? I couldn’t see it downloading npm but it may have been silent. What I’m saying is: is there any benefit to putting a different number into that field to the current version of npm shipped with node?

[cpojer]

If you lock it to the exact version, Vite+ should use that version. If it isn't, then that's a bug.

[will-stone]

Thanks! That does stay pinned. Could I please ask what the difference between packageManager and devEngines.packageManager is? I've locked the node version using:

 "devEngines": {
    "runtime": {
      "name": "node",
      "version": "24.14.0"
    }
  },

But if I try moving packageManager in there, vp puts the root packageManager back again. Is that a bug? From my research, devEngines looks to be the new standard.

[cpojer]

Yes, we are not currently supporting devEngines.

[will-stone]

Okay, thanks. It does work for node:

❯ vp -V
VITE+ - The Unified Toolchain for the Web

vp v0.1.12

Local vite-plus:
  vite-plus  v0.1.12

Tools:
  vite             v8.0.0
  rolldown         v1.0.0-rc.9
  vitest           v4.1.0
  oxfmt            v0.40.0
  oxlint           v1.55.0
  oxlint-tsgolint  v0.17.0
  tsdown           v0.21.3

Environment:
  Package manager  npm v11.9.0
  Node.js          v24.14.0 (devEngines.runtime)

For posterity, and other searchers, is there a technical reason it can't work for npm?

[cpojer]

At this point, it's a duplicate of #864 😅

We should make this consistent for sure.