npm and package.json
npm is the default package manager commonly used with Node.js. A package.json file describes a project, including its name, version, scripts, dependencies, development dependencies, and module configuration.
The scripts section provides convenient commands such as npm run dev, npm test, and npm start.
Initialize a Node.js Project
mkdir node-app
cd node-app
npm init -y
npm install express
npm install --save-dev nodemon💡 The commands create a project, initialize
package.json, install Express as a production dependency, and install Nodemon as a development dependency.Key Takeaways
- Production dependencies belong in
dependencies. - Build, test, and development tools usually belong in
devDependencies. - Use npm scripts to standardize project commands.
Knowledge Check
Which file defines npm scripts and project dependencies?