Note that npm i is an alias for npm install.

You must create a package.json file with npm init before you can run installs in a project.

See also the npm ci command which is simialr to npm install but is more suitable for deploy pipelines.

Flags

  • -D, --save-dev - Save to dev dependencies. By default, installs are saved to prod dependencies without any flag (at least on newer NPM versions).
  • -G, -g, --global - Install as a global dependency.

Install by package name

Install and save as production dependency

This will add to dependencies of package.json after installing.

Install latest:

$ npm i PACKAGE

Example:

$ npm i foo
$ # Install multiple at once.
$ npm i foo bar baz

Install specific version:

$ npm i PACKAGE@VERSION

Example:

$ npm i foo@1.2.3

Install and save as dev dependency

Save to devDependencies in package.json using one of:

$ npm i PACKAGE --save-dev
$ npm i PACKAGE -D

Install from package file

Install prod and dev deps

$ npm i

Install only production dependencies

$ npm i --production

Or using --only.

$ npm i --only=prod
$ npm i --only=production

Install only dev dependencies

$ npm i --only=dev
$ npm i --only=development

Install from GitHub

$ npm i USERNAME/PACKAGE_NAME

e.g.

$ npm install visionmedia/express#branch

Or add to package file:

  • HTTPS 
      [
    "git+https://github.com/visionmedia/express.git"
  ]
  • SSH 
      [
    "git+ssh://git@github.com/visionmedia/express.git"
  ]