# What’s the Difference between Tilde(~) and Caret(^) in package.json?

In a `package.json` file, the tilde (~) and caret (^) symbols are used to specify version ranges for your project’s dependencies. They help you control which versions of packages can your projects use when you run `npm install` or `yarn install`.

The tilde prefix (~) indicates that the tilde symbol will match the most recent patch version or the most recent minor version, i.e., the middle number. For example, `~1.2.3` will match all `1.2.x` but not `1.3.x` versions.

The caret prefix (^) indicates the first number, i.e., the most recent major version. It will update you on all future minor/patch versions without incrementing the major version. For example `^1.2.3`, will use releases from `1.2.3` to `<2.0.0`

It is important to note that both `~` and `^` assume that you can trust minor and patch releases from your dependencies.