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JavaScript npm Basics (retiring) Installing Packages with npm Managing Dependencies in the package.json File

Posted by vamosrope14
vamosrope14
14,932 Points

When a package.json file is included in your project, does npm install dependencies for that package automatically?

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1 Answer

Darryl Mah
Darryl Mah
5,492 Points
Darryl Mah
Darryl Mah
5,492 Points

Typically the “node_modules” folder containing all the dependencies will not be included in a project file you download. This because they can often carry large amounts of data. The package.json file will include names of the dependence’s but not the actual files. When you run npm install on the project this will trigger npm to look at the dependencies listed in the package.json file and download the the actual codes for these dependencies into the node_modules folder. This prevents you from having to look into that file and installing them all individually.