npm Cheat Sheet

Essential npm commands for Node.js package management and development workflow.

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Table of Contents

• Basic Commands
• Package Installation
• Package Management
• npm Scripts
• Publishing Packages
• Version Management
• npm Configuration
• Cache Management
• Security Audit
• Workspaces
• Advanced Operations

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Basic Commands

Command	Description	Example
npm --version	Show npm version	npm --version
npm help	Show help	npm help
npm help <command>	Get help for specific command	npm help install
npm init	Initialize new package	npm init
npm init -y	Initialize with defaults	npm init -y
npm init <template>	Initialize with template	npm init react-app my-app

Package Installation

Basic Installation

Command	Description	Example
npm install	Install all dependencies	npm install
npm i	Shorthand for install	npm i
npm install <package>	Install package	npm install express
npm install <package>@<version>	Install specific version	npm install express@4.18.0
npm install <package>@latest	Install latest version	npm install express@latest

Installation Types

Command	Description	Example
npm install <package>	Install as dependency	npm install express
npm install --save <package>	Install as dependency (explicit)	npm install --save express
npm install --save-dev <package>	Install as dev dependency	npm install --save-dev jest
npm install -D <package>	Shorthand for dev dependency	npm install -D nodemon
npm install --global <package>	Install globally	npm install --global typescript
npm install -g <package>	Shorthand for global	npm install -g create-react-app
npm install --save-optional <package>	Install as optional dependency	npm install --save-optional sharp
npm install --save-peer <package>	Install as peer dependency	npm install --save-peer react

Installation Options

Command	Description	Example
npm install --production	Install only production dependencies	npm install --production
npm install --only=dev	Install only dev dependencies	npm install --only=dev
npm install --force	Force install (ignore conflicts)	npm install --force
npm install --legacy-peer-deps	Use legacy peer dependency algorithm	npm install --legacy-peer-deps
npm ci	Clean install (faster, for CI)	npm ci

Package Management

Listing Packages

Command	Description	Example
npm list	List installed packages	npm list
npm ls	Shorthand for list	npm ls
npm list --depth=0	List top-level packages only	npm list --depth=0
npm list --global	List global packages	npm list --global
npm list -g --depth=0	List global packages (top-level)	npm list -g --depth=0
npm outdated	Show outdated packages	npm outdated
npm outdated --global	Show outdated global packages	npm outdated --global

Updating Packages

Command	Description	Example
npm update	Update all packages	npm update
npm update <package>	Update specific package	npm update express
npm update --global	Update all global packages	npm update --global
npm update -g <package>	Update specific global package	npm update -g typescript
npm install <package>@latest	Update to latest version	npm install express@latest

Uninstalling Packages

Command	Description	Example
npm uninstall <package>	Remove package	npm uninstall express
npm uninstall --save <package>	Remove from dependencies	npm uninstall --save express
npm uninstall --save-dev <package>	Remove from dev dependencies	npm uninstall --save-dev jest
npm uninstall -D <package>	Shorthand for dev removal	npm uninstall -D nodemon
npm uninstall --global <package>	Remove global package	npm uninstall --global typescript
npm uninstall -g <package>	Shorthand for global removal	npm uninstall -g create-react-app

npm Scripts

Running Scripts

Command	Description	Example
npm run <script>	Run custom script	npm run build
npm start	Run start script	npm start
npm test	Run test script	npm test
npm run test	Explicit test run	npm run test
npm run <script> -- <args>	Pass arguments to script	npm run test -- --watch

Script Management

Command	Description	Example
npm run	List available scripts	npm run
npm run-script	Alternative to npm run	npm run-script build

Common package.json Scripts

{
  "scripts": {
    "start": "node server.js",
    "dev": "nodemon server.js",
    "build": "webpack --mode=production",
    "test": "jest",
    "test:watch": "jest --watch",
    "lint": "eslint src/",
    "lint:fix": "eslint src/ --fix",
    "clean": "rm -rf dist/",
    "prebuild": "npm run clean",
    "postinstall": "node scripts/setup.js",
    "serve": "serve -s dist/",
    "format": "prettier --write src/"
  }
}

Publishing Packages

Registry Management

Command	Description	Example
npm login	Login to npm registry	npm login
npm logout	Logout from npm registry	npm logout
npm whoami	Show current user	npm whoami
npm adduser	Add new user account	npm adduser

Publishing

Command	Description	Example
npm publish	Publish package	npm publish
npm publish --access public	Publish public scoped package	npm publish --access public
npm publish --tag beta	Publish with tag	npm publish --tag beta
npm publish --dry-run	Test publish without actually publishing	npm publish --dry-run
npm unpublish <package>@<version>	Unpublish specific version	npm unpublish my-package@1.0.0

Package Information

Command	Description	Example
npm view <package>	View package information	npm view express
npm show <package>	Alias for view	npm show express
npm info <package>	Alias for view	npm info express
npm view <package> versions	View all versions	npm view express versions
npm view <package> version	View latest version	npm view express version
npm search <query>	Search for packages	npm search react router

Version Management

Version Commands

Command	Description	Example
npm version	Show current version	npm version
npm version patch	Increment patch version	npm version patch
npm version minor	Increment minor version	npm version minor
npm version major	Increment major version	npm version major
npm version prerelease	Increment prerelease version	npm version prerelease
npm version <version>	Set specific version	npm version 1.2.3

Version Options

Command	Description	Example
npm version patch --no-git-tag-version	Version without git tag	npm version patch --no-git-tag-version
npm version patch -m "Release %s"	Custom commit message	npm version patch -m "Release %s"

Semantic Versioning

Major.Minor.Patch (e.g., 1.2.3)
- Major: Breaking changes
- Minor: New features (backward compatible)
- Patch: Bug fixes (backward compatible)

Prerelease: 1.2.3-alpha.1, 1.2.3-beta.2, 1.2.3-rc.1

npm Configuration

Configuration Commands

Command	Description	Example
npm config list	Show all config	npm config list
npm config list -l	Show all config (long)	npm config list -l
npm config get <key>	Get config value	npm config get registry
npm config set <key> <value>	Set config value	npm config set registry https://registry.npmjs.org/
npm config delete <key>	Delete config value	npm config delete proxy
npm config edit	Edit config file	npm config edit

Common Configuration

Command	Description	Example
npm config set registry <url>	Set registry URL	npm config set registry https://npm.company.com/
npm config set proxy <url>	Set HTTP proxy	npm config set proxy http://proxy.company.com:8080
npm config set https-proxy <url>	Set HTTPS proxy	npm config set https-proxy http://proxy.company.com:8080
npm config set save-exact true	Save exact versions	npm config set save-exact true
npm config set init-author-name "Name"	Set default author	npm config set init-author-name "John Doe"
npm config set init-license "MIT"	Set default license	npm config set init-license "MIT"

Configuration Files

# Global config
~/.npmrc

# Project config
/path/to/project/.npmrc

# Example .npmrc
registry=https://registry.npmjs.org/
save-exact=true
init-author-name=John Doe
init-license=MIT

Cache Management

Command	Description	Example
npm cache verify	Verify cache integrity	npm cache verify
npm cache clean --force	Clear cache	npm cache clean --force
npm cache ls	List cache contents	npm cache ls
npm cache add <package>	Add package to cache	npm cache add express

Security Audit

Audit Commands

Command	Description	Example
npm audit	Run security audit	npm audit
npm audit fix	Auto-fix vulnerabilities	npm audit fix
npm audit fix --force	Force fix (may break changes)	npm audit fix --force
npm audit --json	Audit in JSON format	npm audit --json
npm audit --audit-level moderate	Set audit level	npm audit --audit-level moderate

Audit Levels

• low: Show low severity and above
• moderate: Show moderate severity and above
• high: Show high severity and above
• critical: Show critical severity only

Workspaces

Workspace Setup

{
  "name": "my-monorepo",
  "workspaces": [
    "packages/*",
    "apps/*"
  ]
}

Workspace Commands

Command	Description	Example
npm install	Install all workspace dependencies	npm install
npm run <script> --workspaces	Run script in all workspaces	npm run test --workspaces
npm run <script> --workspace=<name>	Run script in specific workspace	npm run build --workspace=package-a
npm install <package> -w <workspace>	Install to specific workspace	npm install express -w server
npm list --workspaces	List all workspace dependencies	npm list --workspaces

Advanced Operations

Package Linking

Command	Description	Example
npm link	Create global link	npm link
npm link <package>	Link to local package	npm link my-package
npm unlink <package>	Unlink package	npm unlink my-package

Package Information

Command	Description	Example
npm ls <package>	Find package in tree	npm ls express
npm explain <package>	Explain why package is installed	npm explain express
npm fund	Show funding information	npm fund
npm doctor	Check npm environment	npm doctor

Registry Operations

Command	Description	Example
npm star <package>	Star a package	npm star express
npm unstar <package>	Unstar a package	npm unstar express
npm stars	List starred packages	npm stars
npm deprecate <package>@<version> <message>	Deprecate package version	npm deprecate my-package@1.0.0 "Use 2.0.0"

Package.json Fields

{
  "name": "my-package",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "A sample package",
  "main": "index.js",
  "scripts": {
    "start": "node index.js",
    "test": "jest"
  },
  "keywords": ["node", "npm"],
  "author": "John Doe <john@example.com>",
  "license": "MIT",
  "dependencies": {
    "express": "^4.18.0"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "jest": "^27.0.0"
  },
  "peerDependencies": {
    "react": ">=16.0.0"
  },
  "engines": {
    "node": ">=14.0.0",
    "npm": ">=6.0.0"
  },
  "files": [
    "lib/",
    "index.js",
    "README.md"
  ],
  "repository": {
    "type": "git",
    "url": "https://github.com/user/repo.git"
  },
  "bugs": {
    "url": "https://github.com/user/repo/issues"
  },
  "homepage": "https://github.com/user/repo#readme"
}

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Resources

• npm Documentation
• npm Registry
• package.json Reference
• Semantic Versioning
• npm CLI Commands

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Originally compiled from various sources. Contributions welcome!