---
title: "NPM Commands Cheatsheet | FindUtils"
description: "Package management: install, update, publish, scripts, audit, and configuration"
url: https://findutils.com/cheatsheets/npm-commands/
---

# NPM Commands Cheatsheet

Package management: install, update, publish, scripts, audit, and configuration 59 commands in 9 sections, filed under [Programming](https://findutils.com/cheatsheets/programming/).

## Project Setup

- `npm init`: Initialize package.json interactively
- `npm init -y`: Initialize with defaults (skip prompts)
- `npm init @scope`: Run a create package (e.g., create-react-app)
- `npx create-next-app@latest`: Run package without installing globally
- `npm pkg set name="my-app"`: Set field in package.json
- `npm pkg get version`: Get field from package.json

## Installing Packages

- `npm install`: Install all dependencies from package.json
- `npm install <pkg>`: Install and add to dependencies
- `npm install <pkg> --save-dev`: Install as dev dependency
- `npm install <pkg>@<version>`: Install specific version
- `npm install <pkg>@latest`: Install latest version
- `npm install -g <pkg>`: Install package globally
- `npm ci`: Clean install from lock file (CI/CD)
- `npm install --legacy-peer-deps`: Ignore peer dependency conflicts

## Managing Packages

- `npm uninstall <pkg>`: Remove a package
- `npm update`: Update all packages to latest allowed
- `npm update <pkg>`: Update specific package
- `npm outdated`: Show packages needing updates
- `npm ls`: List installed packages (tree view)
- `npm ls --depth=0`: List top-level packages only
- `npm ls <pkg>`: Check where a package is used
- `npm dedupe`: Reduce duplication in node_modules
- `npm prune`: Remove extraneous packages

## Running Scripts

- `npm run <script>`: Run a script from package.json
- `npm start`: Run the start script
- `npm test`: Run the test script
- `npm run build`: Run the build script
- `npm run dev`: Run the dev script
- `npx <command>`: Run a package binary without global install
- `npm run lint -- --fix`: Pass extra arguments to script

## Package Info & Search

- `npm view <pkg>`: Show package registry info
- `npm view <pkg> versions`: List all published versions
- `npm search <keyword>`: Search npm registry
- `npm info <pkg> dependencies`: Show package dependencies
- `npm docs <pkg>`: Open package documentation
- `npm repo <pkg>`: Open package repository
- `npm bugs <pkg>`: Open package issue tracker

## Publishing & Versioning

- `npm login`: Authenticate to npm registry
- `npm publish`: Publish package to registry
- `npm publish --access public`: Publish scoped package as public
- `npm version patch`: Bump patch version (1.0.0 → 1.0.1)
- `npm version minor`: Bump minor version (1.0.0 → 1.1.0)
- `npm version major`: Bump major version (1.0.0 → 2.0.0)
- `npm deprecate <pkg>@<ver> "message"`: Deprecate a package version
- `npm unpublish <pkg>@<ver>`: Remove a published version

## Configuration & Cache

- `npm config list`: Show current npm configuration
- `npm config set registry <url>`: Set custom registry URL
- `npm config get prefix`: Show global install directory
- `npm cache clean --force`: Clear npm cache
- `npm cache verify`: Verify cache integrity
- `npm root -g`: Show global node_modules path
- `npm doctor`: Run diagnostics on npm setup

## Security & Audit

- `npm audit`: Check for known vulnerabilities
- `npm audit fix`: Auto-fix vulnerabilities
- `npm audit fix --force`: Fix vulnerabilities (breaking changes allowed)
- `npm audit --json`: Output audit results as JSON
- `npm token list`: List active authentication tokens
- `npm whoami`: Show currently logged-in user

## Sources

- `https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v11/commands/`: npm CLI v11 reference: installation, scripts, publishing, configuration, and audit commands.

## Related

- Cheatsheet: [Barcode Formats](https://findutils.com/cheatsheets/barcode-formats/)
- Cheatsheet: [JavaScript ES6+](https://findutils.com/cheatsheets/javascript-es6/)
- Cheatsheet: [Python Essentials](https://findutils.com/cheatsheets/python-essentials/)