174 lines
5.5 KiB
Markdown
174 lines
5.5 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: npm
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section: 1
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description: javascript package manager
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---
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### Synopsis
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```bash
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npm <command> [args]
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```
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### Version
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@VERSION@
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### Description
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npm is the package manager for the Node JavaScript platform. It puts
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modules in place so that node can find them, and manages dependency
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conflicts intelligently.
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It is extremely configurable to support a variety of use cases. Most
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commonly, you use it to publish, discover, install, and develop node
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programs.
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Run `npm help` to get a list of available commands.
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### Important
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npm comes preconfigured to use npm's public registry at
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https://registry.npmjs.org by default. Use of the npm public registry is
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subject to terms of use available at
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https://docs.npmjs.com/policies/terms.
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You can configure npm to use any compatible registry you like, and even
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run your own registry. Use of someone else's registry is governed by
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their terms of use.
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### Introduction
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You probably got npm because you want to install stuff.
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The very first thing you will most likely want to run in any node
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program is `npm install` to install its dependencies.
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You can also run `npm install blerg` to install the latest version of
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"blerg". Check out [`npm install`](/commands/npm-install) for more
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info. It can do a lot of stuff.
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Use the `npm search` command to show everything that's available in the
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public registry. Use `npm ls` to show everything you've installed.
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### Dependencies
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If a package lists a dependency using a git URL, npm will install that
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dependency using the [`git`](https://github.com/git-guides/install-git)
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command and will generate an error if it is not installed.
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If one of the packages npm tries to install is a native node module and
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requires compiling of C++ Code, npm will use
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[node-gyp](https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp) for that task.
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For a Unix system, [node-gyp](https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp)
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needs Python, make and a buildchain like GCC. On Windows,
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Python and Microsoft Visual Studio C++ are needed. For more information
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visit [the node-gyp repository](https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp) and
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the [node-gyp Wiki](https://github.com/nodejs/node-gyp/wiki).
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### Directories
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See [`folders`](/configuring-npm/folders) to learn about where npm puts
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stuff.
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In particular, npm has two modes of operation:
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* local mode:
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npm installs packages into the current project directory, which
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defaults to the current working directory. Packages install to
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`./node_modules`, and bins to `./node_modules/.bin`.
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* global mode:
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npm installs packages into the install prefix at
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`$npm_config_prefix/lib/node_modules` and bins to
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`$npm_config_prefix/bin`.
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Local mode is the default. Use `-g` or `--global` on any command to
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run in global mode instead.
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### Developer Usage
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If you're using npm to develop and publish your code, check out the
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following help topics:
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* json:
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Make a package.json file. See
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[`package.json`](/configuring-npm/package-json).
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* link:
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Links your current working code into Node's path, so that you don't
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have to reinstall every time you make a change. Use [`npm
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link`](/commands/npm-link) to do this.
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* install:
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It's a good idea to install things if you don't need the symbolic
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link. Especially, installing other peoples code from the registry is
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done via [`npm install`](/commands/npm-install)
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* adduser:
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Create an account or log in. When you do this, npm will store
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credentials in the user config file config file.
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* publish:
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Use the [`npm publish`](/commands/npm-publish) command to upload your
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code to the registry.
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#### Configuration
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npm is extremely configurable. It reads its configuration options from
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5 places.
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* Command line switches:
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Set a config with `--key val`. All keys take a value, even if they
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are booleans (the config parser doesn't know what the options are at
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the time of parsing). If you do not provide a value (`--key`) then
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the option is set to boolean `true`.
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* Environment Variables:
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Set any config by prefixing the name in an environment variable with
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`npm_config_`. For example, `export npm_config_key=val`.
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* User Configs:
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The file at `$HOME/.npmrc` is an ini-formatted list of configs. If
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present, it is parsed. If the `userconfig` option is set in the cli
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or env, that file will be used instead.
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* Global Configs:
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The file found at `./etc/npmrc` (relative to the global prefix will be
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parsed if it is found. See [`npm prefix`](/commands/npm-prefix) for
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more info on the global prefix. If the `globalconfig` option is set
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in the cli, env, or user config, then that file is parsed instead.
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* Defaults:
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npm's default configuration options are defined in
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lib/utils/config-defs.js. These must not be changed.
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See [`config`](/using-npm/config) for much much more information.
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### Contributions
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Patches welcome!
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If you would like to help, but don't know what to work on, read the
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[contributing
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guidelines](https://github.com/npm/cli/blob/latest/CONTRIBUTING.md) and
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check the issues list.
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### Bugs
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When you find issues, please report them:
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<https://github.com/npm/cli/issues>
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Please be sure to follow the template and bug reporting guidelines.
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### Feature Requests
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Discuss new feature ideas on our discussion forum:
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* <https://github.com/npm/feedback>
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Or suggest formal RFC proposals:
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* <https://github.com/npm/rfcs>
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### See Also
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* [npm help](/commands/npm-help)
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* [package.json](/configuring-npm/package-json)
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* [npmrc](/configuring-npm/npmrc)
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* [npm config](/commands/npm-config)
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* [npm install](/commands/npm-install)
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* [npm prefix](/commands/npm-prefix)
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* [npm publish](/commands/npm-publish)
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