Webpack "stuck" at old package versions

[azaozz]

There are large differences between /dist on a local build of the 5.0 branch and
​https://build.trac.wordpress.org/browser/branches/5.0/wp-includes/js/dist/. Seems the local build is stuck at older versions of the packages.

Deleting node-modules and reinstalling them seems to fix the issue, but that's not practical to do all the time :)

Also, this could be Windows related.

[azaozz]

Tested with local built of RC-2 rev. [43958] comparing to ​https://build.trac.wordpress.org/browser/branches/5.0 on rev. ​43790 (build after the same commit).

[audrasjb]

Hi,

Per today's bug scrub, let's address this ticket in 5.1.

[netweb]

Related: #45815 Build repository has unused '/js' and '/styles' directories

[atimmer]

My understanding is that package-lock.json should handle this. If it doesn't then either the package-lock.json is incorrect or npm is not working correctly. As you get the correct dependencies when deleting node_modules I am tending towards npm not working correctly. Maybe there is a flag that can force npm to check if everything in node_modules is still up to date?

[netweb]

It might be time to drop the ~ and ^ semver ranges from package.json per #45149

[pento]

This sounds like npm allowing looser semver ranges than it really needs to.

Going to close this in favour of #45149.