Because such a large percentage of applications are made of open source components, choosing quality OSS dependencies is critical. Inside Endor Labs, you can easily compare packages you’re already using or considering - this list is a public summary of the open source tools most commonly used for Maven applications, with their Endor Scores. 

‍Endor Scores provide a high-level, easy-to-understand metric of how well a package does based on factors such as security, activity, popularity, and code quality.

• Security: Indicates the number of security-related issues a package may have such as known vulnerabilities, following security best practices when developing code, and the results of static code analysis. Packages with lower security scores can be expected to have many security-related issues when compared with packages with higher scores. 

• Activity: Indicates the level of development activity for a package as observed through the source code management system. Packages with higher activity scores will be more active and presumably better maintained when compared to packages with a lower activity score. 

• Popularity: Indicates how widely a package is used in its ecosystem by tracking both source code management system metrics (for example, the number of stars in GitHub) as well as counting how many other packages import it. A package with a high popularity score indicates that it is used widely.

• Code Quality: Indicates how well the package complies with best practices for code development and includes the results of static code analysis of that package’s source code. A package with a higher quality score has fewer code issues. 

The scores for each category range between 0 and 10. For example, a score of 5 indicates inconclusive analysis and the package is neutral. A score higher than 5 indicates that the package mostly has positive factors while a score lower than 5 indicates negative factors. A score of 10 indicates that the package meets all the positive conditions, while a score of 0 indicates that a package meets all negative conditions.

The most commonly used npm packages among Endor Labs customers are…

The following open source npm packages are the most popular among Endor Labs customers, categorized by functionality and listed in alphabetical order. Endor Scores are a high-level metric of how well a package does based on factors such as security, activity, popularity, and code quality, and do not constitute a ranking of packages.

String Manipulation

ansi-regex

ansi-regex is a package that provides a regular expression for matching ANSI escape codes. It is commonly used to strip ANSI codes from strings, making it easier to handle text without terminal formatting. This package is popular because it simplifies the process of cleaning up strings for logging or displaying without the extra color codes.

ansi-styles

ansi-styles is a package that provides ANSI escape codes for styling strings in the terminal. It supports colors, background colors, and text styles such as bold and underline. Developers choose this package for its comprehensive and easy-to-use API to enhance console outputs.

chalk

chalk is a versatile library for styling terminal strings with colors and text styles. It is widely used because it provides a simple and expressive API for adding color and style to console output, making logs and terminal messages more readable and visually appealing.

color-convert

color-convert provides color conversion functions, supporting various color models like RGB, HSL, and CMYK. It is chosen for its efficiency and the comprehensive support of color spaces, making it ideal for applications that require color manipulation.

color-name

color-name is a collection of color names and their corresponding values. It is used in conjunction with other color manipulation libraries to provide human-readable names for colors. Developers appreciate it for its extensive and standardized color definitions.

escape-string-regexp

escape-string-regexp is a tiny utility for escaping special characters in strings meant to be used in regular expressions. This package is essential for safely handling user inputs in regex operations, preventing potential errors or security issues.

glob

glob is a pattern-matching library used to find files and directories based on specified patterns. It is commonly used for file system operations in build processes and scripts, valued for its flexibility and robust pattern matching capabilities.

minimatch

minimatch is a lightweight library for matching file paths against glob patterns. It is often used in task runners and build tools for filtering files. Its popularity stems from its performance and adherence to the glob standard.

string-width

string-width calculates the visual width of a string, accounting for Unicode characters and ANSI escape codes. It is especially useful for formatting console output and aligning text in terminal applications. Developers prefer it for its accuracy and simplicity.

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Utilities

camelcase

camelcase is a utility that converts strings to camelCase format. It is often used to ensure consistent naming conventions in code, particularly for object keys and variable names. Its ease of use and reliability make it a popular choice among developers.

commander

commander is a feature-rich library for building command-line interfaces. It simplifies argument parsing and command definition, making it a go-to tool for CLI development. Its comprehensive feature set and ease of use are key reasons for its popularity.

debug

debug is a lightweight debugging utility for Node.js applications. It allows selective logging of messages based on namespaces, making debugging more manageable. Developers favor it for its simplicity and flexibility in controlling log output.

find-up

find-up searches for a file or directory by walking up parent directories. It is commonly used in configuration file lookup scenarios. Its reliability and performance make it a preferred choice for developers needing to locate files in nested directory structures.

has-flag

has-flag is a small utility to check if specific command-line flags are present. It is particularly useful in CLI applications to handle user-provided flags. Its straightforward API and effectiveness contribute to its widespread use.

json5

json5 extends JSON syntax to include features like comments and trailing commas, making JSON more human-friendly. It is used in scenarios where configuration files need to be easily readable and writable. Developers appreciate its flexibility and enhanced readability.

locate-path

locate-path finds the first existing path in an array of paths. It is useful in scenarios where multiple possible locations for a file or directory exist. This package is valued for its efficiency and simplicity in resolving paths.

lru-cache

lru-cache is a least-recently-used cache implementation. It is used to store and quickly retrieve frequently accessed data while limiting memory usage. Its effectiveness in optimizing performance through caching makes it a popular choice.

p-limit

p-limit limits the number of concurrently running promises. It is useful for controlling the concurrency level in asynchronous operations. Developers choose it for its ability to manage resource usage and prevent overloading systems.

p-locate

p-locate returns the first fulfilled promise from an array of promise-returning functions. It is used in scenarios where the fastest successful result is needed. This package is appreciated for its efficiency and ease of use in handling multiple asynchronous tasks.

resolve

resolve is a library for resolving module paths as Node.js does. It is commonly used in build tools and bundlers to locate modules. Its accuracy in mimicking Node.js's module resolution makes it a critical component in many development workflows.

resolve-from

resolve-from resolves the path of a module from a given directory. It is useful in build tools and environments where modules need to be dynamically resolved. Developers favor it for its simplicity and reliability.

semver

semver is a library for parsing, validating, and comparing semantic versioning strings. It is widely used in package managers and dependency management tools. Its strict adherence to the semver specification and comprehensive functionality make it indispensable.

slash

slash is a utility that converts backslashes to forward slashes in file paths. It is particularly useful for cross-platform compatibility, ensuring paths work consistently across different operating systems. Its simplicity and effectiveness are key reasons for its use.

supports-color

supports-color detects if the terminal supports color. It is used to conditionally enable or disable colored output in CLI applications. Developers rely on it to ensure their applications provide the best user experience based on terminal capabilities.

yallist

yallist is a doubly linked list implementation. It is used in scenarios requiring efficient insertion and deletion operations. Its performance and utility in implementing data structures like caches and queues make it a valuable tool.

Code Parsing and Transformation

acorn

acorn is a fast, small JavaScript parser written in JavaScript. It is used to parse ECMAScript code into an abstract syntax tree (AST). Its performance and compliance with the latest JavaScript standards make it a preferred choice for tools that analyze or transform code.

brace-expansion

brace-expansion provides brace expansion as known from Bash, supporting sequences and nested expansions. It is used in file matching and generation scenarios, valued for its flexibility and comprehensive support for complex patterns.

doctrine

doctrine is a library for parsing JSDoc comments. It is used to extract documentation and type information from JavaScript code. Developers choose it for its accuracy and adherence to the JSDoc specification.

emoji-regex

emoji-regex provides a regular expression to match all emoji symbols. It is used in text processing tasks where handling or extracting emojis is necessary. Its completeness and reliability in matching emojis make it a popular choice.

estraverse

estraverse is a tool for traversing ECMAScript ASTs. It is commonly used in code analysis and transformation tools. Its robustness and flexibility in navigating and modifying ASTs make it essential for developers working with JavaScript parsers.

globals

globals provides a list of global variables and functions for various JavaScript environments. It is used in linting and static analysis tools to recognize predefined globals. Its comprehensiveness and up-to-date information on global variables make it invaluable.

jsesc

jsesc is a library for escaping JavaScript strings while ensuring safe and readable output. It is particularly useful for generating code that includes literal strings. Developers favor it for its precision and thorough handling of special characters.

json5

json5 extends JSON syntax to include features like comments and trailing commas, making JSON more human-friendly. It is used in scenarios where configuration files need to be easily readable and writable. Developers appreciate its flexibility and enhanced readability.

source-map

source-map is a library for generating and consuming source maps, which map minified code back to its original source. It is crucial for debugging and performance profiling in production environments. Its accuracy and compliance with source map standards make it a standard tool in JavaScript development.

strip-bom

strip-bom removes Byte Order Mark (BOM) from UTF-8 files. It is used to ensure consistent file handling across different environments. Its simplicity and reliability in cleaning up files make it a handy tool for developers dealing with text file processing.

tslib

tslib is a runtime library for TypeScript that provides helper functions and utilities. It is used to reduce the output size of TypeScript code by providing common functionalities. Developers choose it for its performance and the seamless integration it offers with TypeScript projects.

File and Stream Handling

glob-parent

glob-parent extracts the non-glob part from a glob pattern. It is used in file handling scenarios where the base directory needs to be determined. Its reliability and performance make it a popular choice in build tools and scripts.

globby

globby is an enhanced globbing library that supports multiple patterns and advanced options. It is used for file system operations, offering a more powerful and flexible interface than traditional glob libraries. Developers appreciate it for its ease of use and extended capabilities.

js-yaml

js-yaml is a YAML parser and dumper for JavaScript. It is used to read and write YAML configuration files. Its adherence to the YAML specification and ease of integration with JavaScript projects make it a preferred tool for configuration management.

readable-stream

readable-stream is a core stream library for Node.js, providing a consistent and reliable interface for handling streams. It is used in scenarios requiring robust stream handling, such as file processing and network communications. Its performance and compatibility with Node.js standards make it indispensable.

Testing and Instrumentation

istanbul-lib-instrument

istanbul-lib-instrument is a library for instrumenting JavaScript code to measure test coverage. It is used in testing frameworks to generate coverage reports. Developers choose it for its accuracy and compatibility with various testing tools.

signal-exit

signal-exit executes a callback when the process exits, ensuring cleanup tasks are performed. It is used in scenarios requiring reliable resource cleanup. Its robustness in handling different exit signals and states makes it a valuable tool in maintaining application stability.

CLI Utilities

yargs

yargs is a powerful library for building command-line interfaces. It simplifies argument parsing, command handling, and help generation. Its comprehensive feature set and ease of use make it a top choice for CLI development.

yargs-parser

yargs-parser is a lightweight utility for parsing command-line arguments. It is used to convert raw arguments into a more usable format. Developers appreciate its performance and simplicity, making it a common choice for CLI tools.

ms

ms is a tiny utility to convert various time formats to milliseconds. It is used in scenarios where human-readable time durations need to be converted for programmatic use. Its ease of use and flexibility in handling different time formats make it a popular choice.

Best practices for selecting open source tools for your npm application

In this tutorial, we demonstrate how you can use Endor Labs' DroidGPT feature to quickly and easily research open source software (OSS) packages in a conversational manner. DroidGPT combines the power of ChatGPT and Endor Labs' proprietary risk data. Ask questions like "what are the best logging packages for Java" and receive instant answers. All results are overlaid with risk scores revealing the quality, popularity, trustworthiness, and security of each package.

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