SKILL.md
Dependency Conflict Resolver Skill
Untangle "could not resolve dependency" hell into a clear, ranked plan.
Working from a brief
Infer the package manager and ecosystem from the error or files mentioned; label assumptions (assumed — confirm). Always deliver a concrete resolution path even from just the error text.
Input
Ask for these if not provided:
- The install error — the conflict output exactly as the tool printed it
- The manifest — package.json, requirements.txt, go.mod, pom.xml, whichever applies
- The lockfile — if one exists, since it is usually where the conflict is pinned
- The package manager — npm, pnpm, yarn, pip, Maven, Go modules; infer what's missing
Output Structure
The conflict
Plain-English: package A needs X of C, package B needs Y of C, and they can't both be satisfied (name the actual packages/versions from the input).
Options (ranked by safety)
- Safest — e.g. align versions, upgrade the constrained package, or find a compatible range. Exact command.
- Pragmatic — e.g. an override/resolution (
overrides,resolutions, constraints file) with the exact snippet — and the risk it carries. - Last resort — e.g.
--legacy-peer-deps/--force— clearly flagged as masking the problem, not fixing it.
Give the exact commands/edits for each, and a recommendation of which to pick and why.
Verify & prevent
How to confirm the fix (npm ls <pkg>, a clean reinstall, the build), and one habit to avoid recurrence (lockfile committed, renovate/dependabot, version pinning policy).