xenial (1) npm-link.1.gz

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)