What is the difference between caret (^) and tilde (~) ranges?

Caret (^1.2.3) allows changes that do not modify the leftmost non-zero digit, so it permits minor and patch upgrades up to the next major version. Tilde (~1.2.3) is stricter and only allows patch-level upgrades within the same minor version.

How does a caret range behave for 0.x versions?

Below 1.0.0, caret ranges are treated as unstable. ^0.2.3 only allows patch upgrades (>=0.2.3 =0.0.3 <0.0.4), since any digit change in a 0.x version can be a breaking change.

What does an x-range like 1.2.x mean?

An x, X, or * in place of a version segment means "any value" for that segment. 1.2.x matches any patch version within 1.2, equivalent to >=1.2.0 <1.3.0. A bare * matches any version.

How do hyphen ranges work?

A hyphen range like 1.2.3 - 2.3.4 is an inclusive range between the two versions. If the upper bound is partial, such as 1.2.3 - 2.3, it is treated as everything below the next segment: >=1.2.3 <2.4.0.

Can I combine multiple conditions in one range?

Yes. Space-separated conditions are combined with AND, such as >=1.0.0 <2.0.0. Use || to combine ranges with OR, such as ^1.0.0 || ^2.0.0, to accept either range.

Why does a prerelease version like 2.0.0-alpha satisfy a range such as ^1.0.0?

This tool follows the core semver precedence rule: a prerelease version has lower precedence than the same version without a tag, so 2.0.0-alpha counts as less than 2.0.0 and falls inside the >=1.0.0 <2.0.0 window. Some package managers restrict this further and exclude prereleases unless the range itself targets that prerelease tag.

Does this tool send my version data anywhere?

No. All parsing and comparison happens in your browser with plain JavaScript. Nothing is uploaded or logged.

SemVer Range Tester

Name: SemVer Range Tester
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Enter a version and a range expression to check if the version satisfies the range, with the range broken down into plain bounds.

Version & Range

Version

Range

Try a preset

—

Expanded bounds

Each OR group (separated by ||) must satisfy every bound inside it for the range to pass.

Supported syntax

^1.2.3 — compatible with 1.2.3 up to (not including) 2.0.0
~1.2.3 — patch updates only, up to (not including) 1.3.0
1.2.x, * — wildcard segments
>=1.0.0 <2.0.0 — space-separated bounds (AND)
1.2.3 - 2.3.4 — inclusive hyphen range
^1.0.0 || ^2.0.0 — either range (OR)

Summary

Enter a version and a range expression to check if the version satisfies the range, with the range broken down into plain bounds.

How it works

Enter a semantic version, such as 1.4.2, in the Version field.
Enter a range expression, such as ^1.2.0, in the Range field.
The result updates live and shows PASS or FAIL.
Expanded bounds show exactly what the range means in plain >= / < terms.
Try a preset chip to see common caret, tilde, and hyphen ranges in action.

Use cases

Check if a dependency version in package.json satisfies a declared range before upgrading.
Debug why npm install picked an unexpected package version.
Learn the difference between caret (^) and tilde (~) ranges with real examples.
Verify a hyphen range like 1.2.3 - 2.3.4 covers the versions you expect.
Validate a version range before publishing a library with a peerDependencies constraint.
Teach semantic versioning rules to a teammate with instant visual feedback.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-24 · Reviewed by Nham Vu