npm

Essential npm commands for Node.js package management and project workflows.

cli
npmnodejspackage-managerjavascript

Getting Started

# Check npm version
npm --version
npm -v

# Update npm
npm install -g npm@latest

# Get help
npm help
npm help <command>

Project Initialization

# Create package.json interactively
npm init

# Create with defaults
npm init -y
npm init --yes

# Create scoped package
npm init --scope=@myorg

Installing Packages

# Install all dependencies from package.json
npm install
npm i

# Install a package (adds to dependencies)
npm install <package>
npm i <package>

# Install as dev dependency
npm install --save-dev <package>
npm i -D <package>

# Install globally
npm install -g <package>

# Install specific version
npm install <package>@<version>
npm install lodash@4.17.21

# Install from git
npm install git+https://github.com/user/repo.git

# Install without saving to package.json
npm install --no-save <package>

Removing Packages

# Remove a package
npm uninstall <package>
npm un <package>
npm remove <package>

# Remove global package
npm uninstall -g <package>

# Remove dev dependency
npm uninstall --save-dev <package>

Updating Packages

# Check for outdated packages
npm outdated

# Update all packages
npm update

# Update specific package
npm update <package>

# Update global packages
npm update -g

Listing Packages

# List installed packages
npm list
npm ls

# List top-level packages only
npm list --depth=0

# List global packages
npm list -g --depth=0

# Show package info
npm info <package>
npm view <package>

# Show package versions
npm view <package> versions

Running Scripts

# Run script from package.json
npm run <script>
npm run build
npm run test

# Common script shortcuts
npm start        # runs "start" script
npm test         # runs "test" script
npm stop         # runs "stop" script
npm restart      # runs "restart" script

# Run with arguments
npm run build -- --watch

# List available scripts
npm run

Package Information

# Search for packages
npm search <keyword>

# View package details
npm view <package>
npm info <package>

# View package homepage
npm docs <package>

# View package repository
npm repo <package>

# Check for vulnerabilities
npm audit

# Fix vulnerabilities
npm audit fix
npm audit fix --force

Cache Management

# View cache folder
npm config get cache

# Clean cache
npm cache clean --force

# Verify cache
npm cache verify

Configuration

# View all config
npm config list
npm config list -l

# Get config value
npm config get <key>
npm config get registry

# Set config value
npm config set <key> <value>
npm config set registry https://registry.npmjs.org/

# Delete config value
npm config delete <key>

# Edit config file
npm config edit

Publishing Packages

# Login to npm
npm login
npm adduser

# Publish package
npm publish

# Publish scoped package publicly
npm publish --access public

# Bump version and publish
npm version patch  # 1.0.0 -> 1.0.1
npm version minor  # 1.0.0 -> 1.1.0
npm version major  # 1.0.0 -> 2.0.0
npm publish

# Unpublish (within 72 hours)
npm unpublish <package>@<version>

# Deprecate a version
npm deprecate <package>@<version> "message"

Workspaces (Monorepo)

# Initialize workspace
npm init -w packages/my-package

# Install dependency in workspace
npm install <package> -w <workspace>

# Run script in workspace
npm run build -w <workspace>

# Run script in all workspaces
npm run build --workspaces
npm run build -ws

# List workspaces
npm ls --workspaces

npx (Package Runner)

# Run package without installing
npx <package>
npx create-react-app my-app

# Run specific version
npx <package>@<version>

# Run local package
npx <local-package>

# Clear npx cache
npx clear-npx-cache

Useful Commands

# Check for issues
npm doctor

# Deduplicate dependencies
npm dedupe

# Rebuild native modules
npm rebuild

# Prune unused packages
npm prune

# Create package lock only
npm install --package-lock-only

# Install with exact versions
npm install --save-exact <package>
npm i -E <package>

# List all npm commands
npm help-search <term>