compare_packages
Compare multiple npm packages side-by-side (downloads, stars, license, etc.).
LABSCO SUMMARY
The npm registry as structured answers, including the dependency tree most lookups skip.
Search plus downloads plus stars is table stakes; the parts that change a decision are the dependency tree at a depth you choose, and the version list with publish dates, which is how you tell a maintained package from an abandoned one. Extracting the usage snippet out of the README is the small convenience that saves reading a long document to find one import line.
What it is
An npm registry lookup server. It searches, fetches package context, and compares candidates, so a library decision is made against real numbers rather than recall.
What you get
- Registry search with optional ranking weights and paging
- Keyword search with an AND or OR operator across the tags you name
- Enriched package info: registry metadata, last-week downloads, and the GitHub repository details — stars, forks, license — where they exist
- The README for a package or a specific version, truncated at a length you choose
- A likely usage snippet extracted from that README, for the calling pattern without the prose
- Downloads for the last day, week or month
- Every published version with its publish date and dist tags, bounded by a limit or a date
- The dependency tree to a depth you set, with dev dependencies included if you want them
- Several packages compared side by side on downloads, stars and license
Requirements
No account and no key. Node.js v18.17 or newer; run it with npx -y npmlens-mcp@latest over stdio, from the npm package npmlens-mcp, currently 0.1.12. It makes live requests to npm and to GitHub when tools are called, and to nothing else — there is no arbitrary URL fetching. GITHUB_TOKEN is optional and only raises the GitHub rate limit.
Setup effort
One command — npx -y npmlens-mcp@latest
USE CASES
01
Choosing between two libraries that do the same thing
Compare them side by side on downloads, stars and license, then read the version history behind each.
02
Finding candidates for a job you have not solved before
Search the registry, or search by the keyword combination the ecosystem tags them with.
03
Checking what a package will pull in with it
Read its dependency tree to the depth you care about before installing.
04
Getting the calling pattern without reading the whole README
Extract the usage snippet, and fetch the README only if you need more.
05
Working out whether a package is still alive
Look at the recent downloads and the publish dates on its latest versions.
06
Getting the full picture on one package in a single call
Pull the enriched info — registry metadata, weekly downloads and GitHub details together.
9 tools
Counted once with only startup setup. Other versions, modes or optional credentials may expose a different list.
get_downloads
Get npm downloads for the last day/week/month.
get_package_dependencies
Get the dependency tree for a package.
get_package_info
Get enriched package info: registry metadata, last-week downloads, and GitHub repo details when available.
get_package_versions
List all available versions of a package with publish dates and dist tags.
get_readme
Fetch README text for a given npm package (optionally a specific version).
get_usage_snippet
Extract a likely usage snippet from a package's README.
search_by_keywords
Search npm packages by specific keywords/tags.
search_npm
Search the npm registry for packages.
BEFORE YOU INSTALL
What to know first
Tools you get
9 tools when we connected.
Requires
- npx on PATH
- Node.js v18.17 or later
CONTEXT COST
Light Standing cost
Rated by the size of the 9 tool definitions that ride along on every turn, not by how many there are
INSTALLATION
Connect your client
Server setup
TERMINAL
npx -y npmlens-mcp@latestMCP Clients
Amp
AMP · JSON
{
"amp.mcpServers": {
"npmlens": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"npmlens-mcp@latest"
]
}
}
}Cline, Cursor, JetBrains IDEs, Warp
JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"npmlens": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"npmlens-mcp@latest"
]
}
}
}Claude Code
CLAUDE CODE · TERMINAL
claude mcp add npmlens npx npmlens-mcp@latestCodex
CODEX · TERMINAL
codex mcp add npmlens -- npx npmlens-mcp@latestGitHub Copilot
Start Copilot CLI: copilot
Open the add-server dialog: /mcp add
Enter these fields and press CTRL+S to save — Server name: npmlens, Server Type: Local, Command: npx -y npmlens-mcp@latest
VS Code
VS CODE · TERMINAL
code --add-mcp '{"name":"npmlens","command":"npx","args":["-y","npmlens-mcp@latest"]}'Gemini CLI
GEMINI CLI · TERMINAL
gemini mcp add npmlens npx npmlens-mcp@latest
