Getting Started with NPM: The Complete Guide for 2023

Dive into NPM intro:

In this post, we will Dive Into NPM for Node.js. The Ultimate Fulfilling Guide for Beginners: Master NPM & analyse the basics of installing and using NPM (Node Package Manager)

NPM, or the Node Package Manager, is a crucial component of Node.JS, an open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment. NPM makes it easy for developers to manage and share packages, libraries, and tools needed for building applications with Node.JS. In this guide, we will cover the basics of NPM installation and usage, as well as highlight some of the best packages to help you get started.

One of the key points to take here is that the package manager is open-source, popular amongst the Software development word and trusted.

The Package Manager aspect of NPM provides a way for developers to easily find, download, and manage the libraries and used to manage dependencies for Node.js projects and ensures that the correct versions of libraries are installed.

Installation:

As for where the platform can be deployed, the following operating systems are compatible: Windows, MacOS and Linux

Dive into NPM by installing on Windows

1. Download and install Node.js: Before you can install NPM, you need to have Node.js installed on your computer. You can download the latest version of Node.js from the official website (https://nodejs.org/en/download/).
   
2. Open Command Prompt: After installation, open the Command Prompt in Windows. You can do this by searching for “cmd” in the Start menu and clicking on it.
   
3. Install NPM: Type in the following command to install NPM:

npm install npm -g

4. Verify Installation: To verify that NPM has been installed successfully, type in the following command in the Command Prompt:

npm -v

This should return the version of NPM that is installed on your computer.

Installing NPM on MacOS:

1. Download and install Node.js: Before you can install NPM, you need to have Node.js installed on your computer. You can download the latest version of Node.js from the official website (https://nodejs.org/en/download/).
   
2. Open Terminal: After installation, open the Terminal in MacOS. You can do this by searching for “Terminal” in Spotlight or by navigating to Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
   
3. Install NPM: Type in the following command to install NPM:

sudo npm install npm -g

4. Verify Installation: To verify that NPM has been installed successfully, type in the following command in the Terminal:

npm -v

This should return the version of NPM that is installed on your computer.

Installing NPM on Linux:

1. Download and install Node.js: Before you can install NPM, you need to have Node.js installed on your computer. You can download the latest version of Node.js from the official website (https://nodejs.org/en/download/).
   
2. Open Terminal: After installation, open the Terminal in Linux. You can do this by searching for “Terminal” in your application launcher or by navigating to Applications > Accessories > Terminal.
   
3. Install NPM: Type in the following command to install NPM:

sudo npm install npm -g

4. Verify Installation: To verify that NPM has been installed successfully, type in the following command in the Terminal:

npm -v

This should return the version of NPM that is installed on your computer.

For more information on using NPM, check out the official NPM documentation: https://docs.npmjs.com/ *

Basic Syntax Usage:

• To install a package using NPM, use the following command: npm install [package-name]
• To upgrade a package to its latest version, use the following command: npm update [package-name]
• To list all installed packages, use the following command: npm ls

Places to Learn More:

1. NPM official website: https://www.npmjs.com/ *
2. Node.JS official website: https://nodejs.org/
3. The NPM Blog: https://blog.npmjs.org/
4. Node.JS on Medium: https://medium.com/tag/node-js
5. NPM packages on GitHub: https://github.com/npm/npm

Packages and modules references from official Node.JS documentation