Npm
npm is the default package manager for JavaScript and Node.js, facilitating the sharing and reuse of code, managing dependencies, and streamlining project workflows.
Verdict
Common use cases
- Compare framework options before starting a project
- Audit dependencies for security or license issues
- Find maintained alternatives to abandoned packages
- Check breaking changes between package versions
- Onboard new devs with package explanations
Integration
- Vendor
- Npm
- Category
- developer-tools
- Auth
- API_KEY
- Composio slug
npm
Tools
Setup
Setup guide
- 11. Open your Switchy workspace and navigate to Settings > Integrations. 2. Find Npm in the developer tools section and click Connect. 3. You'll be prompted to enter an npm access token — generate one at npmjs.com under your account settings (read-only scope is sufficient). 4. Paste the token into Switchy and click Authorize. 5. The connection status will show green once validated. 6. Open any Space and type '@Npm' followed by a question like 'what does lodash do' to confirm the integration responds. 7. If the MCP doesn't reply, revisit Settings > Integrations to check the token hasn't expired.
What teammates see: by default, memories from Npm are scoped to the Space (PROJECT visibility) - you can mark any memory PRIVATE or share it ORG-wide.
Works well with
Top models
Compatibility data appears once enough Spaces have used this MCP together with a given model.
How Switchy teams use it
Starter prompts
Compare React Frameworks
@Npm compare next and remix — show me weekly downloads, last publish date, and typical bundle impact for eachOpen in a Space →
Find Lodash Alternatives
@Npm what are popular alternatives to lodash that support tree-shaking and have active maintenanceOpen in a Space →
Check Breaking Changes
@Npm what breaking changes exist between react 17.0.2 and 18.2.0Open in a Space →
Audit Dependency Licenses
@Npm show me the license for express and all its direct dependenciesOpen in a Space →
Explain Unfamiliar Package
@Npm what does zod do and show me a basic usage exampleOpen in a Space →
Example outputs
Illustrative - representative of the model's voice and quality, not literal recordings.
@npm search for lightweight date libraries with recent updates and good TypeScript support
Found 8 packages matching your criteria. Top results: date-fns (v3.2.0, 45M weekly downloads, full TS definitions), dayjs (v1.11.10, 18M weekly downloads, plugin ecosystem), luxon (v3.4.4, 8M weekly downloads, immutable API). All three were updated within the last 90 days and maintain active issue trackers. date-fns offers the smallest bundle size at 2.4kB per function with tree-shaking.
This example shows registry search filtered by metadata. The MCP queries npm's public API, which has no authentication for read operations but enforces rate limits (roughly 300 requests per 5 minutes from a single IP). Results reflect live registry state — package versions and download counts will differ when you run this.
@npm get the dependency tree for express version 4.18.2 and flag any packages with known security advisories
express@4.18.2 has 57 total dependencies (31 direct, 26 transitive). Security scan found 2 advisories: qs@6.11.0 has a moderate-severity prototype pollution issue (CVE-2022-24999, patched in 6.11.2), and send@0.18.0 references an older mime-types with a low-severity ReDoS vector. Both are transitive dependencies. Upgrading express to 4.19.0 resolves both issues.
Demonstrates dependency analysis paired with the npm audit database. Requires an npm API key with read:packages scope if querying private registries. The MCP returns structured vulnerability data; the AI synthesizes it into actionable guidance. Audit results lag behind CVE disclosures by hours to days.
@npm compare bundle sizes and license compatibility for three charting libraries: chart.js, recharts, and plotly.js
chart.js@4.4.1: 186kB minified, MIT license, zero dependencies. recharts@2.10.3: 512kB minified (includes React peer dependency overhead), MIT license, 12 direct dependencies. plotly.js@2.27.1: 3.4MB minified, MIT license, bundles d3 and mapbox-gl internally. All three are MIT-licensed and safe for commercial use. chart.js offers the smallest footprint; plotly.js provides the richest feature set at the cost of bundle weight.
Shows cross-package comparison using registry metadata and package.json introspection. The MCP fetches published bundle sizes from npm's API; actual sizes in your build depend on tree-shaking and compression. License data comes from package manifests — always verify SPDX identifiers against your legal requirements before shipping.
Use-case deep-dives
When npm MCP helps teams catch supply-chain risk early
A 6-person engineering team runs a weekly dependency review before starting new features. The npm MCP pulls package metadata, download counts, and maintainer activity directly into Switchy threads, so the team can vet libraries without leaving the workspace. This works best when you're evaluating 3-5 packages per sprint and need quick context on stability and community health. If your team ships daily or manages 50+ microservices, the manual lookup flow gets slow—consider a dedicated SCA tool instead. For small teams doing occasional research, the MCP keeps the conversation and the data in one place, which beats toggling between Slack and npmjs.com.
Using npm MCP to teach library selection in real time
A senior engineer is pairing with two junior developers on a new feature that needs a date-parsing library. Instead of sending links to npm's website, they query the MCP inside a Switchy thread to compare download trends, release cadence, and TypeScript support for three candidates. The juniors see the decision criteria unfold in context, and the thread becomes a reference for future choices. This scenario assumes API key auth is already set up and the team has fewer than 10 active engineers. If you're onboarding at scale or need formal training artifacts, a wiki or recorded demo is more durable. For small teams doing ad-hoc mentorship, the MCP turns package research into a teaching moment without extra tooling.
When npm MCP speeds up version-mismatch diagnosis
A 3-person support team fields tickets about a client's integration breaking after a dependency update. They use the npm MCP to pull version history and changelog summaries for the suspect package, then share findings in a Switchy thread with engineering. The MCP's API key auth means support doesn't need npm accounts, and the shared thread keeps the diagnosis transparent. This works when you're troubleshooting 2-4 integration issues per week and the root cause is usually a version bump. If your product has 100+ dependencies or you're debugging at high volume, a dedicated observability stack is the right call. For small teams where support and engineering collaborate tightly, the MCP closes the loop faster than email or ticket handoffs.
Frequently asked
What does the Npm MCP do in Switchy?
The Npm MCP connects your team's Switchy workspace to the npm registry, letting AI agents query package metadata, check version histories, and pull dependency information without leaving the chat. It's useful when you're debugging version conflicts or evaluating libraries during planning sessions. The MCP doesn't publish packages or modify your npm account — it's read-only registry access.
Do I need an npm account to use this MCP?
Yes. You'll authenticate with an npm API key, which you generate from your npm account settings. If your team uses private packages or scoped registries, the key needs read access to those namespaces. Public registry queries work with any valid key. One team member connects it; everyone in the workspace benefits from the shared connection.
Can the Npm MCP install packages or update package.json?
No. This MCP queries the npm registry for information — it doesn't touch your local filesystem or run install commands. If you need to add a dependency, the AI can recommend the package and version, but you still run npm install yourself. Think of it as a faster, conversational alternative to searching npmjs.com manually during code reviews.
Why use this instead of just visiting npmjs.com?
The MCP brings registry data into your team's AI conversation, so you can ask "what's the latest stable version of React?" or "show me the dependencies for lodash 4.17" without context-switching. It's faster when you're already discussing architecture in Switchy and need to verify a package detail mid-thread. For deep dives into changelogs or GitHub issues, you'll still visit the website.
Who on the team should connect the Npm MCP?
Anyone with an npm account can connect it. If your team uses private packages, connect it with a key that has access to those scopes — otherwise queries for internal libraries will fail. The connection is workspace-wide, so one setup covers the whole team. It doesn't count as a separate seat or affect your Switchy plan limits.