[DOCS] Further clarification on "npm install" w/r/t package-lock.json in other npm versions

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

This is a CLI Docs Enhancement, not another kind of Docs Enhancement.

• This is a CLI Docs Enhancement.

Description of Problem

The npm v11 documentation includes a section explaining how npm install uses package-lock.json:

• https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v11/commands/npm-install#how-npm-install-uses-package-lockjson

This clarification appears to have been added following the discussion in https://github.com/npm/cli/issues/4866.

However, it is not clear from the documentation whether the behavior described in this section is specific to npm v11 or whether it also applies to earlier npm versions (e.g., npm 10.x, npm 9.x).

Could you please clarify whether this behavior is consistent across these npm versions, or if there are differences that users should be aware of?

Potential Solution

No response

Docs URL

https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v10/commands/npm-install#description

Start with the npm v10 npm-install documentation at the linked Docs URL and compare its package-lock.json section with the npm v11 section. Read the discussion in npm/cli#4866 and check the corresponding npm 9, 10, and 11 behavior or documentation. Done means the docs clearly state which versions share the behavior and describe any differences.