Dev Npxify

---
name: dev-npxify
description: "Audit project dependencies and replace CLI-only tools with npx/pnpm dlx to reduce installed packages. Use when: (1) User wants to reduce dependencies, (2) User says 'npxify', 'dlxify', 'reduce deps', (3) User wants to clean up package.json, (4) User asks which deps can use npx/pnpm dlx."
---

# Dependency NPXification

Audit project dependencies and identify packages that can be replaced with `npx` or `pnpm dlx` to reduce the installed dependency count.

## Package Manager Detection

Check the project for lockfiles to determine the package manager:

- `pnpm-lock.yaml` → use `pnpm dlx`
- `package-lock.json` → use `npx`
- `yarn.lock` → use `npx` (yarn dlx also works but npx is more universal)

## Workflow

### Step 1: Read all package.json files

Find all `package.json` files in the project (root + workspaces). For each, catalog all `dependencies` and `devDependencies`.

### Step 2: Analyze each dependency

For each dependency, determine how it is used:

1. **Search for imports/requires** — `grep` for `require('pkg')`, `from 'pkg'`, `import 'pkg'` in source code
2. **Search for CLI usage** — check `scripts` in package.json for the package binary name
3. **Check if other packages depend on it** — eslint plugins need eslint, prettier plugins need prettier, etc.

### Step 3: Classify each dependency

Classify into one of these categories:

#### Replaceable with npx/pnpm dlx (White List patterns)

These are CLI tools that run infrequently and have few sub-dependencies:

| Package | Typical Usage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| `husky` | `"prepare": "husky"` | One-time setup on install |
| `lint-staged` | Called from git hooks | Runs only on commit |
| `serve` / `http-server` | `"serve": "serve dist"` | Ad-hoc static file serving |
| `create-*` / `init-*` | Project scaffolding | One-time use |
| `madge` | Dependency graph | Occasional analysis |
| `depcheck` | Unused dep detection | Occasional analysis |
| `license-checker` | License audit | Occasional audit |
| `npm-check-updates` / `ncu` | Update checking | Occasional use |
| `@takazudo/mdx-formatter` | Markdown formatting | Infrequent, lint-staged |
| `concurrently` / `npm-run-all` | Script runners | If used only in one script |
| `rimraf` / `del-cli` | Cross-platform rm | Simple CLI, few deps |
| `cross-env` | Cross-platform env vars | Simple CLI, few deps |
| `dotenv-cli` | Env file loading | Simple CLI |

#### NEVER replace with npx/pnpm dlx (Black List)

These must stay as installed dependencies:

| Category | Examples | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| **Runtime libraries** | react, express, lodash, axios | Imported in source code |
| **Build toolchains** | webpack, vite, esbuild, next, typescript | Deep integration, used constantly |
| **Framework packages** | @docusaurus/*, @nestjs/*, gatsby | Core framework |
| **Type definitions** | @types/* | Needed for IDE and typecheck |
| **Test frameworks** | jest, vitest, mocha, playwright | Run frequently, deep integration |
| **Linter + plugins** | eslint, eslint-plugin-*, prettier (when used by eslint-plugin-prettier) | Plugins must resolve from same node_modules |
| **PostCSS/Tailwind** | tailwindcss, postcss, autoprefixer | Build-time integration |
| **Heavy CLI tools (100+ deps)** | electron-builder (300+ deps), webpack-cli | Too slow to download each time |
| **Packages used by other deps** | prettier (if eslint-plugin-prettier is installed) | Must be resolvable |
| **Config dependencies** | globals (if imported in eslint.config.mjs) | Imported at config load time |

### Step 4: Present findings

Present a table to the user:

```
## Replaceable with pnpm dlx

| Package | Location | Current Usage | Sub-deps |
|---|---|---|---|
| husky | root devDep | prepare script | ~1 |
| lint-staged | doc devDep | pre-commit hook | ~30 |

## Keep as dependency (cannot replace)

| Package | Location | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| eslint | doc devDep | Plugins need local resolution |
| typescript | blog devDep | Build toolchain, IDE integration |
```

### Step 5: Apply changes (after user approval)

For each approved replacement:

1. Update the script/hook that invokes the tool to use `pnpm dlx <package>` or `npx <package>`
2. Remove the package from `dependencies` or `devDependencies`
3. Run `pnpm install` (or `npm install`) to update the lockfile
4. Test that the affected scripts still work

## Key Decision Criteria

When unsure whether a package is replaceable, check these:

1. **How many sub-dependencies?** — Run `pnpm why <package>` or check npm. If 100+, keep as dep.
2. **How often is it invoked?** — Daily dev workflow (keep) vs occasional/one-time (replaceable).
3. **Is it imported in code?** — If `require`/`import`ed, it MUST stay as a dependency.
4. **Do other installed packages depend on it?** — If yes, keep it.
5. **Does it need to be in the same node_modules tree?** — ESLint plugins, Babel plugins, etc. must co-locate.

## Common Gotchas

- **prettier**: Often can be replaced with `pnpm dlx`, BUT if `eslint-plugin-prettier` is installed, prettier must stay as a devDependency (the plugin requires it to be locally resolvable).
- **typescript**: Technically a CLI tool, but it's also needed for IDE type resolution and by build tools. Always keep as devDep.
- **electron-builder**: Has 300+ sub-dependencies. Using `pnpm dlx` downloads all of them every time — extremely slow. Always keep as devDep.
- **lint-staged in monorepos**: The `lint-staged` config may reference `pnpm exec <tool>` for tools that ARE installed. Only the lint-staged binary itself can be dlx'd; the tools it invokes still need to be installed.