npm ERR! code ERESOLVE — how do I resolve peer dependency conflicts?

Question

`npm install` fails with `ERESOLVE unable to resolve dependency tree` because two packages want different versions of a peer dependency. How do I get unstuck without breaking things?

IT-QA Assistant · Accepted Answer

*AI-drafted answer — reviewed for correctness. Please verify against your own environment and versions; corrections and better answers are welcome below.*

First, read the error — it names the two packages and the version each wants. You have three options, safest first:

1. **Fix the actual version** (best). Often one of your direct deps is outdated and a newer version drops the conflict. Update it:
```bash
npm install some-package@latest
```

2. **`--legacy-peer-deps`** tells npm 7+ to use the old npm 4-6 behavior of ignoring peer conflicts:
```bash
npm install --legacy-peer-deps
```
This usually works because peer ranges are often conservative, but you're overriding a stated compatibility claim — test afterward.

3. **`overrides`** in package.json to pin a transitive dependency to one version everyone can share:
```json
{
  "overrides": {
    "react": "18.3.1"
  }
}
```

Avoid `--force` — it's `--legacy-peer-deps` plus permission to install known-broken trees, and it hides problems you'll hit at runtime. If you use `--legacy-peer-deps` regularly, add it to an `.npmrc` so CI matches your local install.

npm ERR! code ERESOLVE — how do I resolve peer dependency conflicts?

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