can-npm-publish is a command-line tool that checks if a package can be published to npm by validating the package name, ensuring it's not private, and verifying the package version hasn't already been published. It's designed for developers who frequently publish npm packages and want to avoid publishing errors by running pre-publish checks. The tool is particularly useful in automated workflows, such as with Lerna monorepos, to conditionally publish packages only when they're ready.