1What FoxPlug reads from npm
These are the exact things it reads, and nothing else.
| What | The details it takes |
|---|---|
| The package's registry entry | the latest version from dist-tags, the list of published versions (the last 30 are kept for comparison) and the publish time of the latest version |
| Downloads in the last week | the download count point for last-week, kept as a number on the connection (optional: a failure is ignored) |
| Total downloads since 2015-01-10 | the download count from 2015-01-10 to today, used for the download milestones |
| The package name you typed | up to 5 names, comma separated, including @scope/name |
2Moments it finds, and what each becomes
A moment is one thing that happened in npm worth a second look. Each one is scored, then it becomes a post, a changelog entry, a thing to fix or an idea to email, or it is skipped.
a new version becomes the latest tag of a package FoxPlug has read before
The moment is titled like this: Released my-lib 2.1.0
Your made-up package my-lib moves from 2.0.9 to 2.1.0. On the next Check for what's new FoxPlug writes 'Released my-lib 2.1.0' with the line 'my-lib 2.1.0 is published on npm.' and the package link. It is an update that can become a post and a changelog entry.
total downloads cross 100, 500, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 50,000, 100,000, 500,000, 1M, 5M, 10M, 50M or 100M
The moment is titled like this: my-lib passed 10,000 downloads
my-lib has 12,480 downloads in total at the last read. FoxPlug writes 'my-lib passed 10,000 downloads' with 'my-lib now has more than 10,000 downloads (12,480 at the last read).' Each step fires once.
3How the brain uses it
The rules below are the ones that apply to npm. The same rules, with worked examples, are on the brain page.
- A new version becomes an update and a changelog entry. A download or install milestone (100, 500, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000 and so on) becomes an update, once per step. How the brain decides
- Npm is read from public pages, so nothing secret is needed. How the brain decides
- Reads happen only when you press Build the brief or Check for what's new. How the brain decides
4Set up npm in a few steps
Access: none: a public package name only (no login, no key). What to give it: package name only, nothing secret (comma-separate up to 5).
- Open npmjs.com and find your package.
- Copy its exact name from the page (for example your-package or @scope/your-package).
- Paste the name into FoxPlug. To watch several packages, separate them with commas (up to 5).
- Press Connect.
5Limits worth knowing
Where it stops, so nothing surprises you.
- Up to 5 packages per connection.
- The first read only records the starting point: a new-version moment fires only when the package was seen before and its latest version was not in the stored list of the last 30 versions.
- A download milestone is written once per step; the ladder stops at 100,000,000.
- Each request waits up to 20 seconds and a failed registry call stops that read with an error naming the host and status.
- npm gives no public review list, so no ratings or reviews are read.
6What it never reads
Read only means read only, and the list below is what the code leaves alone.
- Any login or token of yours (it needs only a package name)
- Your package's source or tarball contents (only the registry entry and download counts are fetched)
- Private packages (only the public registry and public download counts are called)
7How npm differs from the tools next to it
PyPI is near-identical in shape, but npm milestones count total downloads since 2015-01-10 while PyPI milestones count downloads in the last month (from pypistats), and npm names may be @scope/name.
8Questions
Does FoxPlug need my npm login?
No. You paste only the package name. FoxPlug reads the public registry entry and the public download counts.
What counts as a download milestone?
The total downloads since 2015-01-10. When it crosses a step such as 1,000 or 100,000 FoxPlug writes one update for that step, once.
Can I watch more than one package?
Yes, up to five, separated by commas. Scoped names like @scope/name work.
Will it tell me about new versions I published before connecting?
No. The first read records where things stand; only versions that appear after that are written as new releases.
Checked with a real connected account of ours: real public read of express 5.3.0 with a 100,000,000-download milestone (T1670, T1683).
FoxPlug reads this tool only when you press Check for what's new, and only to read. Plans and limits are on the pricing page. Questions: support.