What is npx?

npx is a tool that is included with npm, the package manager for JavaScript. It is a command-line utility that allows you to execute npm package binaries directly, without having to install the package globally on your system.

Here are some examples of how npx can be used:

• To run a package’s binary, you can use npx followed by the package name and any desired arguments. For example, if you have the create-react-app package installed, you can use npx create-react-app my-app to create a new React application in a directory called my-app.
• To run a package without installing it globally, you can use npx followed by the package name and any desired arguments. For example, you can use npx eslint --init to run the eslint package and initialize a configuration file, even if eslint is not installed globally on your system.
• To run a script from a package.json file, you can use npx followed by the script name. For example, if your package.json file has a script named test, you can use npx test to run that script.

npx is useful for situations where you want to use a package or script temporarily, without the overhead of installing it globally on your system. It can also help you ensure that you are using the correct version of a package, as npx will automatically install the package if it is not already present on your system.

To check if you have npm and npx installed on your system, you can open a terminal or command prompt and run the following command:

npm -v

This will print the version of npm that is installed on your system. If the command is not recognized, it means that npm is not installed. In this case, you can install npm by downloading and installing Node.js from the official website: https://nodejs.org/

Once npm is installed, you can use it to install packages and run scripts in your Node.js projects. You can also use npx to run packages and scripts without installing them globally on your system.

To install Node.js on your system, follow these steps:

1. Go to the official Node.js website: https://nodejs.org/
2. Click the “Download” button to download the latest stable version of Node.js.
3. Run the downloaded installer file.
4. Follow the prompts in the installer to complete the installation.

Once the installation is complete, you can check if Node.js is installed and working properly by opening a terminal or command prompt and running the following command:

node -v

This will print the version of Node.js that is installed on your system. If the command is not recognized, it means that Node.js is not installed or is not in your system’s PATH.

In addition to Node.js, the installer will also install npm, the package manager for JavaScript, which you can use to install packages for use in your Node.js projects.