Package Configuration

Purpose and Scope

This document provides a comprehensive technical reference for the npm package configuration of jsjiit, focusing on package.json1-62 structure, module resolution strategy, distribution settings, and file inclusion policies. For information about the build process that these configurations trigger, see Build System. For details on the development dependencies themselves (esbuild, jsdoc), see Dependency Management.

Package Identity and Metadata

The package is identified as jsjiit at version 0.0.23 with ISC licensing. The package description explicitly highlights the CAPTCHA bypass capability as a key differentiator.

Core Package Fields

Sources: package.json2-4 package.json51-52

Module System Configuration

The package is configured as an ES module with multiple entry points to support different consumption patterns (npm import, CDN usage, direct browser usage).

Entry Point Resolution Strategy

Module Configuration Details:

The "type": "module" field at package.json8 signals to Node.js that all .js files should be treated as ES modules rather than CommonJS. This enables native import/export syntax throughout the codebase.

The exports field at package.json22-25 provides explicit control over package entry points:

"exports": {
  "import": "./dist/jsjiit.esm.js",
  "require": "./dist/jsjiit.esm.js"
}

Both import and require conditions resolve to the same built artifact, indicating the package supports dual-mode consumption while always serving the ES module bundle.

Sources: package.json5-8 package.json22-25

Package Distribution Strategy

Included Files

The files field at package.json26-29 explicitly whitelists directories for npm publication:

Excluded Files via .npmignore

The .npmignore file excludes development-only assets:

Rationale for Exclusions:

• cert.pem and key.pem: HTTPS development certificates, security-sensitive
• .vscode: Editor-specific configuration
• docs: Generated documentation hosted separately on GitHub Pages
• node_modules: Dependencies should be resolved by consumers
• run_server: Local development HTTPS server script
• index.html: Test harness for local development

Sources: package.json26-29 .npmignore1-7

NPM Scripts Configuration

The package defines five npm scripts that orchestrate development and publication workflows:

Script-by-Script Analysis

Prepare Script Significance:

The prepare script at package.json16 is a special npm lifecycle hook that executes automatically before:

• npm publish
• npm pack
• Local npm install (without flags)

This ensures that dist/ artifacts are always regenerated from source before package publication, preventing stale or manually-edited bundles from being distributed.

Sources: package.json12-16

Repository and Distribution Metadata

Repository Configuration

The repository, bugs, and homepage fields at package.json18-21 and package.json53-56 provide npm registry integration with GitHub, enabling automated links from the npm package page to source code, issue tracking, and documentation.

Sources: package.json18-21 package.json53-56

Search Optimization Keywords

The package includes 19 keywords at package.json30-50 for npm registry search discoverability:

Keyword Strategy Analysis

Keyword Categories:

1. Institution Identifiers (lines 31-34): Variations of "JIIT" to capture different search patterns
2. Library Identifiers (lines 35-36): Reference to Python predecessor (pyjiit) and current package
3. Domain Terms (lines 37-39): Portal-related terminology
4. Core Feature (lines 40-44): Attendance tracking with hyphenation variants
5. Composite Terms (lines 45-50): Institution + feature combinations

The extensive keyword list employs a strategy of:

• Typo tolerance: Multiple spellings (jaypee, jpee, jayp)
• Ecosystem awareness: Including pyjiit to capture users migrating from Python
• Permutation coverage: Various orderings of "attendance-api-web" to match different search phrase constructions

Sources: package.json30-50

Dependency Configuration

Development Dependencies

The package declares exactly two development dependencies at package.json57-60:

Dependency Version Strategies

Version Pinning Rationale:

• esbuild 0.24.0 (exact): Locked to specific version because bundler behavior directly affects distributed code. Version changes could alter output characteristics (bundle size, transpilation, minification), impacting end users.
• jsdoc ^4.0.4 (caret range): Allows minor and patch updates within version 4.x. Documentation generation changes are less critical since docs are hosted separately and don't affect runtime behavior.

Sources: package.json57-60

Package Lock File Structure

The package-lock.json file at package-lock.json1-793 provides deterministic dependency resolution across environments.

Lock File Key Attributes

Lock File Version Significance

The lockfileVersion: 3 at package-lock.json4 indicates npm v7+ format, which:

• Stores both requires and dependencies for backwards compatibility
• Uses content addressing for package integrity
• Supports workspace features (not utilized in this package)

Optional Dependencies: Platform-Specific Binaries

esbuild declares 24 optional dependencies at package-lock.json565-590 one for each supported platform:

During installation, npm/yarn automatically installs only the binary matching the current platform, reducing installation size and time.

JSDoc Transitive Dependency Tree

The jsdoc package at package-lock.json619-648 brings in a substantial dependency tree:

Sources: package-lock.json1-793

Configuration Interaction with Build Pipeline

The package configuration fields integrate tightly with the build system (see Build System for details):

Key Integration Points:

1. Automatic Build Invocation: prepare script ensures builds run before publication
2. File Filtering: files array combined with .npmignore determines tarball contents
3. Entry Point Resolution: exports, main, module, browser fields guide consumers to dist/ artifacts
4. Type Declaration: "type": "module" enables ES module syntax in build scripts and source

Sources: package.json8 package.json12-16 package.json22-29 .npmignore1-7

Package Configuration Summary

The jsjiit package configuration implements a modern npm package structure with:

• Dual entry strategy: Source (src/index.js) for development, built bundles (dist/*.esm.js) for consumption
• ES module-first design: All entry points resolve to ES modules
• Automated build safety: prepare hook prevents publishing unbundled code
• Selective file distribution: Only dist/ and src/ directories published to npm
• Development-time exclusions: Certificates, docs, test files filtered via .npmignore
• Platform-aware dependencies: Optional esbuild binaries for cross-platform support
• Search optimization: 19 keywords covering institution, domain, and feature terms
• Deterministic installations: Lock file version 3 with content-addressed integrity

This configuration supports the library's browser-first design while maintaining compatibility with Node.js environments and enabling CDN distribution through proper module field declarations.