Beyond `npm audit`: Implementing Automated Dependency Governance locally

Source: Dev.to

Introduction

Managing the dependency graph of a large monorepo is no longer just a “maintenance task”—it is a governance challenge.

We have all seen the logs:

npm ERR! Could not resolve dependency:
peer react@"^16.8.0" from @company/legacy-lib@1.0.0

In enterprise environments, these aren’t just error messages. They are velocity blockers. Most teams handle this by running npm install --legacy-peer-deps and ignoring the warning, which creates technical debt that silently compounds until it causes runtime crashes or blocks critical security upgrades.

Existing tools like npm audit or Dependabot provide visibility, but they lack context. They flag vulnerabilities but cannot mathematically resolve the peer dependency conflicts that actually break the build.

The Problem: Lack of Deterministic Resolution

Standard package managers rely on non‑deterministic flattening of the dependency tree. When you have conflicting requirements (e.g., Library A needs Angular 16, Library B needs Angular 17), the package manager often fails or hoists the wrong version. To solve this, we need context‑aware resolution.

The Solution: An Automated Governance Engine

I built DepFixer, a deterministic engine designed to treat package.json stability as a graph‑theory problem, not a guessing game.

Unlike standard linters, DepFixer acts as a local governance agent:

• Graph Construction – maps the entire dependency tree, including nested peer requirements.
• Conflict Detection – identifies “incompatible intersections” that lead to silent failures.
• Auto‑Remediation – calculates the exact version combination required to satisfy all constraints (resolving the “diamond dependency” problem).

Validating Your Project Health

DepFixer is available as a CLI agent that can run a “deep audit” on your repository instantly.

npx depfixer

Or, for a visual interface (drag & drop analysis), upload your package.json at depfixer.com.

Both methods run in audit mode by default:

• ✅ Generates a Governance Health Score (0‑100).
• ✅ Identifies critical peer conflicts & deprecated packages.
• ✅ Zero cost (Free Tier) for the audit report.

Why Run This Locally?

Before automating governance in your pipeline, you need a baseline. Running the audit locally allows you to:

• Quantify the “technical debt” hidden in your node_modules.
• Identify which legacy packages block migration to newer frameworks (React 18, Angular 17+).
• Get a deterministic roadmap for remediation.

Engine logic:
Documentation:
Web dashboard:

I am looking for feedback on the resolution engine’s accuracy. If you manage a repo with > 50 packages, I’d love to know whether the Health Score aligns with your experience.