side-channel provides a mechanism to safely store and retrieve values associated with objects, preventing potential memory leaks and security vulnerabilities related to unintended object retention. It's particularly useful in scenarios where you need to associate data with an object without modifying the object itself or risking its garbage collection. By using side-channel, developers can manage object-associated metadata in a controlled and isolated manner, enhancing the stability and reliability of their JavaScript applications. This improves encapsulation by not attaching arbitrary properties onto the target objects.
The npm package side-channel has infrequent releases. It had two releases in December 2019, then sporadic releases in August 2020 and December 2020. No releases occurred throughout 2021 and 2022, nor in 2023. February 2024 saw two releases, followed by one in December 2024. There have been no releases in the first nine months of 2025.
Side-channel npm package downloads show a generally increasing trend from March 2024 to August 2025, peaking at nearly 290 million. September 2025 downloads are significantly lower, likely due to incomplete data for the current month.
