glossary2 min read

npm Explained

npm is the package manager for JavaScript. Learn how it works.

npm (Node Package Manager) is the default package manager for Node.js and the world's largest software registry with over 2 million packages. Key files: package.json (project dependencies and scripts), package-lock.json (exact versions for reproducible installs), node_modules/ (installed packages). Key commands: npm install (install deps), npm run dev (run scripts), npx (execute packages without installing).