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<!doctype html>
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<title>npm-faq</title>
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<script async=true src="../../static/toc.js"></script>
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<h1><a href="../misc/npm-faq.html">npm-faq</a></h1> <p>Frequently Asked Questions</p>
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<h2 id="where-can-i-find-these-docs-in-html-">Where can I find these docs in HTML?</h2>
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<p><a href="https://www.npmjs.org/doc/">https://www.npmjs.org/doc/</a>, or run:</p>
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<pre><code>npm config set viewer browser
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</code></pre><p>to open these documents in your default web browser rather than <code>man</code>.</p>
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<h2 id="it-didn-t-work-">It didn't work.</h2>
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<p>That's not really a question.</p>
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<h2 id="why-didn-t-it-work-">Why didn't it work?</h2>
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<p>I don't know yet.</p>
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<p>Read the error output, and if you can't figure out what it means,
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do what it says and post a bug with all the information it asks for.</p>
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<h2 id="where-does-npm-put-stuff-">Where does npm put stuff?</h2>
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<p>See <code><a href="../files/npm-folders.html">npm-folders(5)</a></code></p>
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<p>tl;dr:</p>
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<ul>
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<li>Use the <code>npm root</code> command to see where modules go, and the <code>npm bin</code>
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command to see where executables go</li>
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<li>Global installs are different from local installs. If you install
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something with the <code>-g</code> flag, then its executables go in <code>npm bin -g</code>
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and its modules go in <code>npm root -g</code>.</li>
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</ul>
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<h2 id="how-do-i-install-something-on-my-computer-in-a-central-location-">How do I install something on my computer in a central location?</h2>
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<p>Install it globally by tacking <code>-g</code> or <code>--global</code> to the command. (This
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is especially important for command line utilities that need to add
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their bins to the global system <code>PATH</code>.)</p>
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<h2 id="i-installed-something-globally-but-i-can-t-require-it">I installed something globally, but I can't <code>require()</code> it</h2>
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<p>Install it locally.</p>
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<p>The global install location is a place for command-line utilities
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to put their bins in the system <code>PATH</code>. It's not for use with <code>require()</code>.</p>
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<p>If you <code>require()</code> a module in your code, then that means it's a
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dependency, and a part of your program. You need to install it locally
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in your program.</p>
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<h2 id="why-can-t-npm-just-put-everything-in-one-place-like-other-package-managers-">Why can't npm just put everything in one place, like other package managers?</h2>
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<p>Not every change is an improvement, but every improvement is a change.
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This would be like asking git to do network IO for every commit. It's
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not going to happen, because it's a terrible idea that causes more
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problems than it solves.</p>
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<p>It is much harder to avoid dependency conflicts without nesting
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dependencies. This is fundamental to the way that npm works, and has
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proven to be an extremely successful approach. See <code><a href="../files/npm-folders.html">npm-folders(5)</a></code> for
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more details.</p>
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<p>If you want a package to be installed in one place, and have all your
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programs reference the same copy of it, then use the <code>npm link</code> command.
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That's what it's for. Install it globally, then link it into each
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program that uses it.</p>
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<h2 id="whatever-i-really-want-the-old-style-everything-global-style-">Whatever, I really want the old style 'everything global' style.</h2>
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<p>Write your own package manager. You could probably even wrap up <code>npm</code>
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in a shell script if you really wanted to.</p>
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<p>npm will not help you do something that is known to be a bad idea.</p>
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<h2 id="should-i-check-my-node_modules-folder-into-git-">Should I check my <code>node_modules</code> folder into git?</h2>
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<p>Usually, no. Allow npm to resolve dependencies for your packages.</p>
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<p>For packages you <strong>deploy</strong>, such as websites and apps,
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you should use npm shrinkwrap to lock down your full dependency tree:</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.npmjs.org/doc/cli/npm-shrinkwrap.html">https://www.npmjs.org/doc/cli/npm-shrinkwrap.html</a></p>
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<p>If you are paranoid about depending on the npm ecosystem,
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you should run a private npm mirror or a private cache.</p>
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<p>If you want 100% confidence in being able to reproduce the specific bytes
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included in a deployment, you should use an additional mechanism that can
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verify contents rather than versions. For example,
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Amazon machine images, DigitalOcean snapshots, Heroku slugs, or simple tarballs.</p>
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<h2 id="is-it-npm-or-npm-or-npm-">Is it 'npm' or 'NPM' or 'Npm'?</h2>
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<p>npm should never be capitalized unless it is being displayed in a
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location that is customarily all-caps (such as the title of man pages.)</p>
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<h2 id="if-npm-is-an-acronym-why-is-it-never-capitalized-">If 'npm' is an acronym, why is it never capitalized?</h2>
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<p>Contrary to the belief of many, "npm" is not in fact an abbreviation for
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"Node Package Manager". It is a recursive bacronymic abbreviation for
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"npm is not an acronym". (If it was "ninaa", then it would be an
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acronym, and thus incorrectly named.)</p>
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<p>"NPM", however, <em>is</em> an acronym (more precisely, a capitonym) for the
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National Association of Pastoral Musicians. You can learn more
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about them at <a href="http://npm.org/">http://npm.org/</a>.</p>
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<p>In software, "NPM" is a Non-Parametric Mapping utility written by
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Chris Rorden. You can analyze pictures of brains with it. Learn more
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about the (capitalized) NPM program at <a href="http://www.cabiatl.com/mricro/npm/">http://www.cabiatl.com/mricro/npm/</a>.</p>
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<p>The first seed that eventually grew into this flower was a bash utility
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named "pm", which was a shortened descendent of "pkgmakeinst", a
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bash function that was used to install various different things on different
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platforms, most often using Yahoo's <code>yinst</code>. If <code>npm</code> was ever an
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acronym for anything, it was <code>node pm</code> or maybe <code>new pm</code>.</p>
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<p>So, in all seriousness, the "npm" project is named after its command-line
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utility, which was organically selected to be easily typed by a right-handed
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programmer using a US QWERTY keyboard layout, ending with the
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right-ring-finger in a postition to type the <code>-</code> key for flags and
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other command-line arguments. That command-line utility is always
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lower-case, though it starts most sentences it is a part of.</p>
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<h2 id="how-do-i-list-installed-packages-">How do I list installed packages?</h2>
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<p><code>npm ls</code></p>
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<h2 id="how-do-i-search-for-packages-">How do I search for packages?</h2>
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<p><code>npm search</code></p>
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<p>Arguments are greps. <code>npm search jsdom</code> shows jsdom packages.</p>
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<h2 id="how-do-i-update-npm-">How do I update npm?</h2>
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<pre><code>npm update npm -g
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</code></pre><p>You can also update all outdated local packages by doing <code>npm update</code> without
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any arguments, or global packages by doing <code>npm update -g</code>.</p>
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<p>Occasionally, the version of npm will progress such that the current
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version cannot be properly installed with the version that you have
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installed already. (Consider, if there is ever a bug in the <code>update</code>
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command.)</p>
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<p>In those cases, you can do this:</p>
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<pre><code>curl https://www.npmjs.org/install.sh | sh
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</code></pre><h2 id="what-is-a-package-">What is a <code>package</code>?</h2>
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<p>A package is:</p>
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<ul>
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<li>a) a folder containing a program described by a package.json file</li>
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<li>b) a gzipped tarball containing (a)</li>
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<li>c) a url that resolves to (b)</li>
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<li>d) a <code><name>@<version></code> that is published on the registry with (c)</li>
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<li>e) a <code><name>@<tag></code> that points to (d)</li>
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<li>f) a <code><name></code> that has a "latest" tag satisfying (e)</li>
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<li>g) a <code>git</code> url that, when cloned, results in (a).</li>
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</ul>
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<p>Even if you never publish your package, you can still get a lot of
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benefits of using npm if you just want to write a node program (a), and
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perhaps if you also want to be able to easily install it elsewhere
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after packing it up into a tarball (b).</p>
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<p>Git urls can be of the form:</p>
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<pre><code>git://github.com/user/project.git#commit-ish
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git+ssh://user@hostname:project.git#commit-ish
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git+http://user@hostname/project/blah.git#commit-ish
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git+https://user@hostname/project/blah.git#commit-ish
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</code></pre><p>The <code>commit-ish</code> can be any tag, sha, or branch which can be supplied as
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an argument to <code>git checkout</code>. The default is <code>master</code>.</p>
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<h2 id="what-is-a-module-">What is a <code>module</code>?</h2>
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<p>A module is anything that can be loaded with <code>require()</code> in a Node.js
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program. The following things are all examples of things that can be
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loaded as modules:</p>
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<ul>
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<li>A folder with a <code>package.json</code> file containing a <code>main</code> field.</li>
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<li>A folder with an <code>index.js</code> file in it.</li>
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<li>A JavaScript file.</li>
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</ul>
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<p>Most npm packages are modules, because they are libraries that you
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load with <code>require</code>. However, there's no requirement that an npm
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package be a module! Some only contain an executable command-line
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interface, and don't provide a <code>main</code> field for use in Node programs.</p>
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<p>Almost all npm packages (at least, those that are Node programs)
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<em>contain</em> many modules within them (because every file they load with
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<code>require()</code> is a module).</p>
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<p>In the context of a Node program, the <code>module</code> is also the thing that
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was loaded <em>from</em> a file. For example, in the following program:</p>
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<pre><code>var req = require('request')
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</code></pre><p>we might say that "The variable <code>req</code> refers to the <code>request</code> module".</p>
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<h2 id="so-why-is-it-the-node_modules-folder-but-package-json-file-why-not-node_packages-or-module-json-">So, why is it the "<code>node_modules</code>" folder, but "<code>package.json</code>" file? Why not <code>node_packages</code> or <code>module.json</code>?</h2>
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<p>The <code>package.json</code> file defines the package. (See "What is a
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package?" above.)</p>
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<p>The <code>node_modules</code> folder is the place Node.js looks for modules.
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(See "What is a module?" above.)</p>
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<p>For example, if you create a file at <code>node_modules/foo.js</code> and then
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had a program that did <code>var f = require('foo.js')</code> then it would load
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the module. However, <code>foo.js</code> is not a "package" in this case,
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because it does not have a package.json.</p>
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<p>Alternatively, if you create a package which does not have an
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<code>index.js</code> or a <code>"main"</code> field in the <code>package.json</code> file, then it is
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not a module. Even if it's installed in <code>node_modules</code>, it can't be
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an argument to <code>require()</code>.</p>
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<h2 id="-node_modules-is-the-name-of-my-deity-s-arch-rival-and-a-forbidden-word-in-my-religion-can-i-configure-npm-to-use-a-different-folder-"><code>"node_modules"</code> is the name of my deity's arch-rival, and a Forbidden Word in my religion. Can I configure npm to use a different folder?</h2>
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<p>No. This will never happen. This question comes up sometimes,
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because it seems silly from the outside that npm couldn't just be
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configured to put stuff somewhere else, and then npm could load them
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from there. It's an arbitrary spelling choice, right? What's the big
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deal?</p>
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<p>At the time of this writing, the string <code>'node_modules'</code> appears 151
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times in 53 separate files in npm and node core (excluding tests and
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documentation).</p>
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<p>Some of these references are in node's built-in module loader. Since
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npm is not involved <strong>at all</strong> at run-time, node itself would have to
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be configured to know where you've decided to stick stuff. Complexity
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hurdle #1. Since the Node module system is locked, this cannot be
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changed, and is enough to kill this request. But I'll continue, in
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deference to your deity's delicate feelings regarding spelling.</p>
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<p>Many of the others are in dependencies that npm uses, which are not
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necessarily tightly coupled to npm (in the sense that they do not read
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npm's configuration files, etc.) Each of these would have to be
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configured to take the name of the <code>node_modules</code> folder as a
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parameter. Complexity hurdle #2.</p>
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<p>Furthermore, npm has the ability to "bundle" dependencies by adding
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the dep names to the <code>"bundledDependencies"</code> list in package.json,
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which causes the folder to be included in the package tarball. What
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if the author of a module bundles its dependencies, and they use a
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different spelling for <code>node_modules</code>? npm would have to rename the
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folder at publish time, and then be smart enough to unpack it using
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your locally configured name. Complexity hurdle #3.</p>
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<p>Furthermore, what happens when you <em>change</em> this name? Fine, it's
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easy enough the first time, just rename the <code>node_modules</code> folders to
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<code>./blergyblerp/</code> or whatever name you choose. But what about when you
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change it again? npm doesn't currently track any state about past
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configuration settings, so this would be rather difficult to do
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properly. It would have to track every previous value for this
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config, and always accept any of them, or else yesterday's install may
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be broken tomorrow. Complexity hurdle #4.</p>
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<p>Never going to happen. The folder is named <code>node_modules</code>. It is
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written indelibly in the Node Way, handed down from the ancient times
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of Node 0.3.</p>
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<h2 id="how-do-i-install-node-with-npm-">How do I install node with npm?</h2>
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<p>You don't. Try one of these node version managers:</p>
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<p>Unix:</p>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="http://github.com/isaacs/nave">http://github.com/isaacs/nave</a></li>
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<li><a href="http://github.com/visionmedia/n">http://github.com/visionmedia/n</a></li>
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<li><a href="http://github.com/creationix/nvm">http://github.com/creationix/nvm</a></li>
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</ul>
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<p>Windows:</p>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="http://github.com/marcelklehr/nodist">http://github.com/marcelklehr/nodist</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://github.com/hakobera/nvmw">https://github.com/hakobera/nvmw</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://github.com/nanjingboy/nvmw">https://github.com/nanjingboy/nvmw</a></li>
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</ul>
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<h2 id="how-can-i-use-npm-for-development-">How can I use npm for development?</h2>
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<p>See <code><a href="../misc/npm-developers.html">npm-developers(7)</a></code> and <code><a href="../files/package.json.html">package.json(5)</a></code>.</p>
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<p>You'll most likely want to <code>npm link</code> your development folder. That's
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awesomely handy.</p>
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<p>To set up your own private registry, check out <code><a href="../misc/npm-registry.html">npm-registry(7)</a></code>.</p>
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<h2 id="can-i-list-a-url-as-a-dependency-">Can I list a url as a dependency?</h2>
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<p>Yes. It should be a url to a gzipped tarball containing a single folder
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that has a package.json in its root, or a git url.
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(See "what is a package?" above.)</p>
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<h2 id="how-do-i-symlink-to-a-dev-folder-so-i-don-t-have-to-keep-re-installing-">How do I symlink to a dev folder so I don't have to keep re-installing?</h2>
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<p>See <code><a href="../cli/npm-link.html">npm-link(1)</a></code></p>
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<h2 id="the-package-registry-website-what-is-that-exactly-">The package registry website. What is that exactly?</h2>
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<p>See <code><a href="../misc/npm-registry.html">npm-registry(7)</a></code>.</p>
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<h2 id="i-forgot-my-password-and-can-t-publish-how-do-i-reset-it-">I forgot my password, and can't publish. How do I reset it?</h2>
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<p>Go to <a href="https://npmjs.org/forgot">https://npmjs.org/forgot</a>.</p>
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<h2 id="i-get-econnrefused-a-lot-what-s-up-">I get ECONNREFUSED a lot. What's up?</h2>
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<p>Either the registry is down, or node's DNS isn't able to reach out.</p>
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<p>To check if the registry is down, open up
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<a href="https://registry.npmjs.org/">https://registry.npmjs.org/</a> in a web browser. This will also tell
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you if you are just unable to access the internet for some reason.</p>
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<p>If the registry IS down, let us know by emailing <a href="mailto:support@npmjs.com">support@npmjs.com</a>
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or posting an issue at <a href="https://github.com/npm/npm/issues">https://github.com/npm/npm/issues</a>. If it's
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down for the world (and not just on your local network) then we're
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probably already being pinged about it.</p>
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<p>You can also often get a faster response by visiting the #npm channel
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on Freenode IRC.</p>
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<h2 id="why-no-namespaces-">Why no namespaces?</h2>
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<p>Please see this discussion: <a href="https://github.com/npm/npm/issues/798">https://github.com/npm/npm/issues/798</a></p>
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<p>tl;dr - It doesn't actually make things better, and can make them worse.</p>
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<p>If you want to namespace your own packages, you may: simply use the
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<code>-</code> character to separate the names. npm is a mostly anarchic system.
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There is not sufficient need to impose namespace rules on everyone.</p>
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<h2 id="who-does-npm-">Who does npm?</h2>
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<p>npm was originally written by Isaac Z. Schlueter, and many others have
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contributed to it, some of them quite substantially.</p>
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<p>The npm open source project, The npm Registry, and <a href="https://www.npmjs.org">the community
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website</a> are maintained and operated by the
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good folks at <a href="http://www.npmjs.com">npm, Inc.</a></p>
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<h2 id="i-have-a-question-or-request-not-addressed-here-where-should-i-put-it-">I have a question or request not addressed here. Where should I put it?</h2>
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<p>Post an issue on the github project:</p>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="https://github.com/npm/npm/issues">https://github.com/npm/npm/issues</a></li>
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</ul>
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<h2 id="why-does-npm-hate-me-">Why does npm hate me?</h2>
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<p>npm is not capable of hatred. It loves everyone, especially you.</p>
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<h2 id="see-also">SEE ALSO</h2>
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<ul>
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<li><a href="../cli/npm.html">npm(1)</a></li>
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<li><a href="../misc/npm-developers.html">npm-developers(7)</a></li>
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<li><a href="../files/package.json.html">package.json(5)</a></li>
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<li><a href="../cli/npm-config.html">npm-config(1)</a></li>
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<li><a href="../misc/npm-config.html">npm-config(7)</a></li>
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<li><a href="../files/npmrc.html">npmrc(5)</a></li>
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<li><a href="../misc/npm-config.html">npm-config(7)</a></li>
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<li><a href="../files/npm-folders.html">npm-folders(5)</a></li>
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</ul>
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</div>
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<table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 id=npmlogo>
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<tr><td style="width:180px;height:10px;background:rgb(237,127,127)" colspan=18> </td></tr>
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<tr><td rowspan=4 style="width:10px;height:10px;background:rgb(237,127,127)"> </td><td style="width:40px;height:10px;background:#fff" colspan=4> </td><td style="width:10px;height:10px;background:rgb(237,127,127)" rowspan=4> </td><td style="width:40px;height:10px;background:#fff" colspan=4> </td><td rowspan=4 style="width:10px;height:10px;background:rgb(237,127,127)"> </td><td colspan=6 style="width:60px;height:10px;background:#fff"> </td><td style="width:10px;height:10px;background:rgb(237,127,127)" rowspan=4> </td></tr>
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<tr><td colspan=2 style="width:20px;height:30px;background:#fff" rowspan=3> </td><td style="width:10px;height:10px;background:rgb(237,127,127)" rowspan=3> </td><td style="width:10px;height:10px;background:#fff" rowspan=3> </td><td style="width:20px;height:10px;background:#fff" rowspan=4 colspan=2> </td><td style="width:10px;height:20px;background:rgb(237,127,127)" rowspan=2> </td><td style="width:10px;height:10px;background:#fff" rowspan=3> </td><td style="width:20px;height:10px;background:#fff" rowspan=3 colspan=2> </td><td style="width:10px;height:10px;background:rgb(237,127,127)" rowspan=3> </td><td style="width:10px;height:10px;background:#fff" rowspan=3> </td><td style="width:10px;height:10px;background:rgb(237,127,127)" rowspan=3> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="width:10px;height:10px;background:#fff" rowspan=2> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="width:10px;height:10px;background:#fff"> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="width:60px;height:10px;background:rgb(237,127,127)" colspan=6> </td><td colspan=10 style="width:10px;height:10px;background:rgb(237,127,127)"> </td></tr>
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<tr><td colspan=5 style="width:50px;height:10px;background:#fff"> </td><td style="width:40px;height:10px;background:rgb(237,127,127)" colspan=4> </td><td style="width:90px;height:10px;background:#fff" colspan=9> </td></tr>
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</table>
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<p id="footer">npm-faq — npm@2.0.0</p>
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