NPM vs NPX

NPM and NPX are both package managers for JavaScript, but they serve different purposes and have distinct use cases.

NPM, short for Node Package Manager, is a command-line tool that allows developers to install, update, and manage packages for their JavaScript projects. It is installed automatically when you install Node.js, and it is the default package manager for Node.js projects. NPM is used to install packages that are needed as dependencies for a project, and it also allows developers to share their own packages with the community.

NPX, on the other hand, is a package runner, which means it allows developers to run packages without having to install them globally on their system. NPX is built on top of NPM, and it is also included when you install Node.js. NPX is particularly useful for running packages that are not meant to be used as dependencies for a project, such as command-line tools or scripts.

One of the main differences between NPM and NPX is that NPM installs packages globally by default, while NPX installs packages locally by default. This means that when you run an NPM install command, the package will be installed in a global directory on your system, and it will be available to all projects. On the other hand, when you run an NPX command, the package will be installed in a local directory, and it will only be available to the current project. This can be useful for keeping different projects isolated and avoiding potential conflicts.

Another difference is that NPM only runs packages that are installed globally, while NPX can run both locally and globally installed packages. This means that you can use NPX to run a package without having to install it first, while you would need to install a package globally with NPM before running it.

In terms of which one to use, it depends on the specific needs of your project. If you are working on a project that needs a specific package as a dependency, you should use NPM to install it. If you are working on a project that needs to run a package without installing it, or you want to try out a package without committing to it, you should use NPX.

In general, NPM is more flexible and can be useful for running one-off commands or trying out new packages without installing them globally. NPM is better suited for managing dependencies for a project and sharing packages with the community.

NPM can be used in several ways, but some of the most common commands include:

• npm install: This command is used to install a package and its dependencies. For example, if you want to install the package "lodash" in your project, you would run the command npm install lodash. This command will install the latest version of the package and add it to your project's dependencies in the package.json file.
• npm install --save or npm i -S: This command is the same as the previous one but it also adds the package to your project's dependencies in the package.json file.
• npm install --save-dev or npm i -D: This command installs a package and adds it to your project's devDependencies in the package.json file. This is useful for packages that are only needed for development and not production.
• npm update: This command updates a package to the latest version. For example, if you want to update the package "lodash" to the latest version, you would run the command npm update lodash.
• npm uninstall: This command uninstalls a package. For example, if you want to remove the package "lodash" from your project, you would run the command npm uninstall lodash.

NPX can be used in several ways as well, but some of the most common commands include:

• npx <package-name>: This command is used to run a package without installing it globally. For example, if you want to run the package "create-react-app" to create a new React project, you would run the command npx create-react-app my-project. This command will download and run the package "create-react-app" without installing it globally on your system.
• npx -p <package-name> <command>: This command is used to run a specific version of a package. For example, if you want to run version 2.0.0 of the package "lodash" you would run the command npx -p lodash@2.0.0 lodash -v
• npx --ignore-existing <package-name>: This command is used to run a package even if it is already installed globally. This can be useful if you want to run a specific version of a package, or if you want to run a package with different flags or options.

In summary, NPM is used to install and manage packages as dependencies for a project, while NPX is used to run packages without installing them globally, as well as run packages with a specific version or ignore existing global packages. It’s important to note that both NPM and NPX are powerful tools that can help you manage your JavaScript projects more efficiently, and understanding when and how to use each one can help you become a more efficient developer.