Upgrade one dependency and read the changelog first

Setup

1. 01

   Pick one package and a target version

   Write both in the prompt. 'Upgrade everything' is how lockfiles become unreviewable.

2. 02

   Ask for the breaking-change list first

   You can split this into two turns if the model rushes. The list is the point of the session.

3. 03

   Let it run the repo's own checks

   Claude Code can execute the test script. Read the output rather than trusting a summary that says all green.

4. 04

   Ship the upgrade in its own pull request

   Keep refactors out of the same diff so a rollback is possible.

Metrics

These are editorial labels so you can compare playbooks. They are not measurements.

Hands-on time

Longer than a typo fix; plan on a review session

You still approve

Major-version confirmation and the merge

Cost bucket

Low

Questions