Understanding npm install: How It Works and Where Packages Are Installed

npm install is a command used in the terminal to add libraries or packages to a Node.js project. Here's what happens step by step:

• Find the Package: When you run npm install <package-name>, npm looks for the package in the npm registry, which is a large database of public and private packages.

• Download the Package: If the package is found, npm downloads it to your local machine.

• Install the Package: npm then installs the package into your project. Specifically, it places the package inside the node_modules directory in your project folder. This directory is where all your project's dependencies (libraries and packages your project needs) are stored. This directory is automatically created by npm if it doesn't exist when you first install a package.

• Update package.json and package-lock.json: If you use npm install <package-name> --save (for npm versions < 5, since npm 5 and later do this automatically), npm adds the package to your project's package.json file under dependencies or devDependencies (if you use -save-dev). This file keeps track of which packages and versions your project depends on. The package-lock.json file is also updated to ensure a consistent installation of package versions across environments.

Can You Remove a Library Completely from a Project?

Yes, you can remove a library completely from your project.

Run npm uninstall <package-name> in your terminal. This command removes the package from the node_modules directory and also updates your package.json and package-lock.json files to reflect the removal.