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Updating, Uninstalling and Executing Packages

5:45 with Reggie Williams

Over time newer versions of packages are released, or we may find a new, better package to replace existing packages in a project. In these situations we need ways to update and remove packages we no longer need. We can do both of these things with a few new NPM commands.

npm Command Line Usage

  • See list of commands

    • npm

  • Uninstalling packages

    • Uninstall a local dependency: npm uninstall <package name>
      • e.g. npm uninstall express
    • Uninstall a global dependency: npm uninstall <package name> -g
      • e.g. npm uninstall http-server -g

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    Over time, newer versions of packages are released, or we may find new, 0:00
    better packages to replace existing packages in a project. 0:05
    In these situations, we need ways to update and 0:09
    remove packages we no longer need. 0:13
    [SOUND] We can do both of these things with a few new NPM commands. 0:15
    NPM uninstall and NPM update. 0:21
    If we'd like to check if any packages in a project are outdated, 0:25
    we can use the NPM outdated command. 0:29
    We just type NPM outdated, and 0:32
    we're given a list of all the packages that can be updated. 0:34
    In our project, we previously used NPM update to 0:38
    update to Express version 4.17.1. 0:43
    Let's install a previous version again so we can test out the NPM outdated command. 0:47
    We'll install express@4.15.1. 0:54
    Now, when we type npm outdated, 1:02
    We're given a table that has a list of all the packages that can be updated. 1:11
    Our current version, 4.15.1. 1:16
    The versions we want, which is the latest version, 1:20
    4.17.1, are displayed in the table. 1:25
    Now just as before, we can use NPM Update Express to update Express. 1:29
    If we had more than one package that we wanted to update, 1:43
    we could just type npm update. 1:47
    To remove a package altogether, we can use the command npm uninstall. 1:52
    We'll try npm uninstall express. 1:57
    We get confirmation that the package was removed, 2:03
    Go back to our folder. 2:08
    When we check our node modules, the Express folder is gone, and 2:12
    Express is removed from the Dependencies list in our package.json file. 2:16
    uninstall can be helpful if you want to replace the package, or 2:21
    it is just no longer working. 2:25
    In some cases, we can avoid the need to update or uninstall packages. 2:27
    Maybe there's a command line tool or 2:32
    code generator that you don't use often and don't want to install globally. 2:35
    While you don't always have to use npm install and npm run. 2:40
    While npm is a package manager, 2:45
    its latest releases come installed with the package runner npx. 2:47
    NPM allows you to handle multiple management tasks we've learned like 2:52
    updating, installing and uninstalling. 2:56
    npx is a package runner and 2:59
    is used to simplify your workflow by executing packages in one command. 3:01
    npx allows you to run packages, whether they are installed locally or not. 3:07
    Express generator is a framework that can help you quickly develop a web application 3:12
    by providing you with boilerplate code and a server to run your project. 3:18
    With npm, in order to use Express generator in our project, 3:22
    we'd have to install it and create a project using the Express command. 3:26
    With npx, we can just run npx Express generator. 3:31
    npx will then create a project folder and temporarily install Express generator. 3:35
    In a new terminal window let's create a new project. 3:41
    Use the make dir command, And 3:48
    create a folder named expressGen, change into expressGen. 3:55
    Now we'll type npx, express-generator, 4:05
    When we open the project in our editor, Express generator has created 4:23
    all the files and folders that we'll need for a basic Express app. 4:28
    Also, because Express generator is only temporarily installed, it's not using as 4:33
    much of our computer's memory as it would be if it was installed using NPM locally. 4:39
    Generators like this one, or Create react app for react, 4:44
    are typically only used once in a project. 4:49
    They can also be memory intensive. 4:53
    When you want to get up and running quickly, save memory or 4:55
    test the package out, try using npx. 5:00
    Remember global packages from earlier? 5:03
    We could use npx to execute a package when we want instead of installing it globally. 5:05
    Check out the list of packages to try with npx in the Teacher's Notes. 5:11
    Great work. 5:15
    You've learned what NPM is, and how you can use it to take advantage of all 5:16
    the useful open source packages that are available. 5:21
    You know where to find packages and can install them locally and globally. 5:24
    Try searching NPM for more packages that could be useful for 5:29
    you in future projects. 5:33
    Soon, you'll put these newly learned skills to use, 5:35
    building out full stack applications with frameworks and other tools. 5:39
    Happy learning! 5:43

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