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Node.js Development Tools — NPM (Node Package Manager)

Overview

NPM (Node Package Manager) is the default package manager for Node.js and is essential for managing dependencies in Node.js applications. It allows engineers to install, share, and manage libraries or modules, enabling rapid development and reuse of existing code. NPM also provides a platform to publish custom modules, manage versioning, and automate common development tasks using scripts.

🌱 Novice

At the novice level, the engineer becomes familiar with the basic commands and functionality of NPM, learning how to manage packages and dependencies.

  • Installing Packages: Understanding how to install packages locally using npm install <package_name> and globally using npm install -g <package_name>.
  • Initializing a Project: Ability to create a new Node.js project using npm init to generate a package.json file, which manages project dependencies.
  • Basic Package Management: Familiarity with adding, updating, and removing packages, as well as the importance of semantic versioning (e.g., ^1.0.0, ~1.0.0) in package.json.

Skills

The engineer can install, manage, and remove dependencies, and create simple Node.js projects with a well-defined package.json file.

🌿 Intermediate

As the engineer gains experience, they begin to explore more advanced features of NPM, such as working with scripts and managing dependency versions.

  • NPM Scripts: Knowledge of defining and running custom scripts in package.json (e.g., npm run build, npm run test) to automate tasks such as building, testing, and running applications.
  • Package Versioning: Understanding the use of lock files (package-lock.json) and how to control dependency versions by using npm install --save-exact or modifying version constraints in package.json.
  • Global vs Local Dependencies: Ability to manage global and local packages, and understanding when to use global installs (e.g., CLI tools) versus local installs (project-specific dependencies).

Skills

The engineer can automate tasks using NPM scripts and manage dependencies effectively, ensuring proper version control and smooth project workflows.

🌳 Advanced

At this advanced level, the engineer is proficient in managing NPM workflows for complex projects and can publish packages and work with monorepos.

  • Publishing Packages: Experience publishing packages to the NPM registry with npm publish, including understanding how to handle versioning, documentation, and deprecating packages.
  • Managing Scoped Packages: Knowledge of using scoped packages for private or organizational packages (e.g., @yourorg/package), which helps in managing internal or private repositories.
  • Monorepos and Workspaces: Ability to manage monorepos using NPM workspaces, which enables the handling of multiple packages in a single repository, sharing dependencies and scripts across packages.

Skills

The engineer can publish reusable code, manage complex dependencies in large-scale projects, and handle monorepos for more efficient project organization.

🚀 Expert

An expert in NPM is able to manage enterprise-scale package management and implement sophisticated dependency management workflows.

  • Custom NPM Registries: Ability to configure and use custom NPM registries for internal package distribution, ensuring greater control over package management and security.
  • Performance Optimization: Expertise in optimizing NPM workflows by using techniques such as caching dependencies (npm ci) and reducing dependency bloat.
  • Security and Auditing: Mastery of using npm audit to identify and fix vulnerabilities, ensuring secure dependency management and staying compliant with best security practices.

Skills

The engineer can design and maintain robust, secure, and scalable NPM workflows, using advanced techniques like custom registries, caching, and security audits for enterprise-level applications.