NPM

Installing npm

To use npm, you need Node.js installed on your computer. Why? Because npm comes bundled with Node.js.

• To check if it’s installed, open your command line or terminal and type

node -v
npm -v

Semantic Versioning

This is semantic versioning, and it’s important for managing package updates without breaking your project. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Major version (1.x.x): Introduces breaking changes.
• Minor version (x.1.x): Adds functionality in a backwards-compatible manner.
• Patch version (x.x.1): Fixes bugs without adding new features.

The ^ symbol allows minor and patch updates. Using ~ would only allow patch updates.

Package Management

• Install packages defined in the package.json file

npm install

• Install a package locally

npm install <package_name>

• Install a specific version of a package

npm install <package_name>@<version>

• Install a package globally

npm install <package_name> --global

• Install and save a package as a dependency

npm install --save <package_name>

• Install and save a package as a development dependency

npm install --save-dev <package_name>

• Updating Packages

npm update <package_name>

Handling Global Packages

• List globally installed packages

npm list -g --depth=0

• Find the location of globally installed packages

npm root -g

Dependency Management

• Update installed packages

npm update

• Check for outdated packages

npm outdated

• Uninstall a package

npm uninstall <package_name>

• Remove packages not listed in the package.json file

npm prune

Scripts

• Run the start script defined in package.json

npm start

• Run the test script defined in package.json

npm test

• Run a custom script defined in package.json

npm run <script_name>

Publishing

• Initialize a new package.json file

npm init

• Publish a package to the npm registry

npm publish

• Update the version number in package.json

npm version <version>

Miscellaneous

• Search for packages on the npm registry

npm search <keyword>

• Get detailed information about a package

npm info <package_name>

• List installed packages

npm ls

• Get help with npm commands

npm help

Reinstall

• Remove node modules

rm -rf node_modules

• Install

npm i