I named three developer tools. All three names were taken on npm

Description and use

When publishing CLI tools with short names, the author found npm packages with those names already existed, causing npx to run a third‑party package instead of the local tool. The fix was to install explicitly from GitHub in the README and verify the binary in a clean environment.

Problem

Installing a local tool via npx with a bare npm name caused unintended execution of a third‑party package.

Outcome

The author avoided accidental execution of unrelated packages by explicitly installing from GitHub and verifying the binary, preventing future install‑instruction failures on clean machines.

Workflow

• 1. Check npm registry for desired name before publishing.
• 2. Write README install instructions using npm install -g github:org/repo to avoid registry lookup.
• 3. Verify local binary exists by running ./node_modules/.bin/bridle --version in a fresh environment.

Evidence

All three taken. Not squatted — real packages, by real people:

Source

Six commands in that README would have run a stranger's websocket library on the machine of anyone following my own documentation.

Source

Install explicitly from the repo, then use the short command: npm install -g github:manpreet171/bridle bridle lint

Source