How to set custom location for local installation of npm package?
node.jsNpmnode.js Problem Overview
Is it possible to specify a custom package destination for npm install, either through a command flag or environment variable?
By default, npm local installs end up in node_modules within the current directory, but I want it to install into node_modules within a different directory, for example vendor/node_modules. How can I make that happen?
node.js Solutions
Solution 1 - node.js
TL;DR
You can do this by using the --prefix flag and the --global* flag.
pje@friendbear:~/foo $ npm install bower -g --prefix ./vendor/node_modules
bower@0.7.0 /Users/pje/foo/vendor/node_modules/bower
*Even though this is a "global" installation, installed bins won't be accessible through the command line unless ~/foo/vendor/node_modules exists in PATH.
TL;DR
Every configurable attribute of npm can be set in any of six different places. In order of priority:
- Command-Line Flags:
--prefix ./vendor/node_modules - Environment Variables:
NPM_CONFIG_PREFIX=./vendor/node_modules - User Config File:
$HOME/.npmrcoruserconfigparam - Global Config File:
$PREFIX/etc/npmrcoruserconfigparam - Built-In Config File:
path/to/npm/itself/npmrc - Default Config: node_modules/npmconf/config-defs.js
By default, locally-installed packages go into ./node_modules. global ones go into the prefix config variable (/usr/local by default).
You can run npm config list to see your current config and npm config edit to change it.
PS
In general, npm's documentation is really helpful. The folders section is a good structural overview of npm and the config section answers this question.
Solution 2 - node.js
If you want this in config, you can set npm config like so:
npm config set prefix "$(pwd)/vendor/node_modules"
or
npm config set prefix "$HOME/vendor/node_modules"
Check your config with
npm config ls -l
Or as @pje says and use the --prefix flag
Solution 3 - node.js
For OSX, you can go to your user's $HOME (probably /Users/yourname/) and, if it doesn't already exist, create an .npmrc file (a file that npm uses for user configuration), and create a directory for your npm packages to be installed in (e.g., /Users/yourname/npm). In that .npmrc file, set "prefix" to your new npm directory, which will be where "globally" installed npm packages will be installed; these "global" packages will, obviously, be available only to your user account.
In .npmrc:
prefix=${HOME}/npm
Then run this command from the command line:
npm config ls -l
It should give output on both your own local configuration and the global npm configuration, and you should see your local prefix configuration reflected, probably near the top of the long list of output.
For security, I recommend this approach to configuring your user account's npm behavior over chown-ing your /usr/local folders, which I've seen recommended elsewhere.
Solution 4 - node.js
On Windows 7 for example, the following set of commands/operations could be used.
Create an personal environment variable, double backslashes are mandatory:
- Variable name:
%NPM_HOME% - Variable value:
C:\\SomeFolder\\SubFolder\\
Now, set the config values to the new folders (examplary file names):
- Set the npm folder
npm config set prefix "%NPM_HOME%\\npm"
- Set the npm-cache folder
npm config set cache "%NPM_HOME%\\npm-cache"
- Set the npm temporary folder
npm config set tmp "%NPM_HOME%\\temp"
Optionally, you can purge the contents of the original folders before the config is changed.
-
Delete the npm-cache
npm cache clear -
List the npm modules
npm -g ls -
Delete the npm modules
npm -g rm name_of_package1 name_of_package2
Solution 5 - node.js
After searching for this myself wanting several projects with shared dependencies to be DRYer, I’ve found:
- Installing locally is the Node way for anything you want to use via
require() - Installing globally is for binaries you want in your path, but is not intended for anything via
require() - Using a prefix means you need to add appropriate
binandmanpaths to$PATH npm link(info) lets you use a local install as a source for globals
→ stick to the Node way and install locally
ref: