NAME

       npm-link - Symlink a package folder

SYNOPSIS

       npm link (in package dir)
       npm link [<@scope>/]<pkg>[@<version>]

       alias: npm ln

DESCRIPTION

       Package linking is a two-step process.

       First,  npm  link  in a package folder will create a globally-installed symbolic link from
       prefix/package-name to the current folder (see npm help 7  npm-config  for  the  value  of
       prefix).

       Next,  in  some other location, npm link package-name will create a symlink from the local
       node_modules folder to the global symlink.

       Note that package-name is taken from package.json, not from directory name.

       The package name can be optionally prefixed with a scope. See npm help  7  npm-scope.  The
       scope must be preceded by an @-symbol and followed by a slash.

       When  creating  tarballs  for  npm publish, the linked packages are "snapshotted" to their
       current state by resolving the symbolic links.

       This is handy for installing your own stuff, so that you  can  work  on  it  and  test  it
       iteratively without having to continually rebuild.

       For example:

           cd ~/projects/node-redis    # go into the package directory
           npm link                    # creates global link
           cd ~/projects/node-bloggy   # go into some other package directory.
           npm link redis              # link-install the package

       Now,     any     changes     to     ~/projects/node-redis    will    be    reflected    in
       ~/projects/node-bloggy/node_modules/node-redis/. Note that  the  link  should  be  to  the
       package name, not the directory name for that package.

       You  may  also  shortcut  the two steps in one. For example, to do the above use-case in a
       shorter way:

           cd ~/projects/node-bloggy  # go into the dir of your main project
           npm link ../node-redis     # link the dir of your dependency

       The second line is the equivalent of doing:

           (cd ../node-redis; npm link)
           npm link node-redis

       That is, it first creates a global link, and then links  the  global  installation  target
       into your project´s node_modules folder.

       If your linked package is scoped (see npm help 7 npm-scope) your link command must include
       that scope, e.g.

           npm link @myorg/privatepackage

SEE ALSO

       •   npm help 7 developers

       •   npm help 7 faq

       •   npm help 5 package.json

       •   npm help install

       •   npm help 5 folders

       •   npm help config

       •   npm help 7 config

       •   npm help 5 npmrc

                                          December 2015                               NPM-LINK(1)