[BUG] npm ls only listing dev dependencies by default

[sethtomy]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

This issue exists in the latest npm version

• I am using the latest npm

Current Behavior

When running npm ls INSERT_DEPENDENCY I am only getting back those installation underneath the dev dependencies.

If I run npm ls --prod INSERT_DEPENDENCY then I can see the missing dependency.

Expected Behavior

I would expect that npm ls INSERT_DEPENDENCY by default would list both dev and production dependencies.

Steps To Reproduce

minimal repro

Environment

• npm: 10.9.0
• Node.js: 22.11.0
• OS Name: MacOS
• System Model Name: MacBook Pro M1
• npm config:

; copy and paste output from `npm config ls` here
; node bin location = /Users/sethtomy/.nvm/versions/node/v22.11.0/bin/node
; node version = v22.11.0
; npm local prefix = /Users/sethtomy/Developer/open-source/minimal-reproduction-repos/npm-ls-issue
; npm version = 10.9.0
; cwd = /Users/sethtomy/Developer/open-source/minimal-reproduction-repos/npm-ls-issue
; HOME = /Users/sethtomy
; Run `npm config ls -l` to show all defaults.

[ljharb]

What about npm explain cross-spawn? That may be more helpful.

[sethtomy]

What about npm explain cross-spawn? That may be more helpful.

It's definitely an alternative option. Perhaps this is just a documentation issue? My thought process is that running "npm install" installs both dev and production dependencies so I'd expect "npm ls" to be consistent.