How to solve package validation pain with Publint

Publishing and maintaining a JavaScript or TypeScript package involves significant responsibility, as small packaging errors can lead to widespread issues. Proper packaging goes beyond verifying code logic and involves ensuring the package's metadata, entry points, module formats, and published files are correctly aligned to prevent runtime errors for consumers. The article highlights the importance of package validation, a process distinct from testing, that ensures the package structure is sound before publication, emphasizing the role of Publint, a packaging linter that over 200,000 developers use to catch potential issues early. Publint analyzes various aspects of a package, such as consistency between exports and entry points, and provides warnings and suggestions to address any discrepancies. Automating this validation process is recommended, integrating Publint into CI/CD workflows through tools like GitHub Actions to ensure that packaging issues are detected before a release. The article also touches on best practices like dual-publishing, using the exports script, and adhering to semantic versioning. These practices, along with automated checks, contribute to the overall quality and reliability of published packages, minimizing the risk of errors and enhancing user trust.