How to install npm packages directly from GitHub

Recently, many people have asked how to install npm packages from GitHub. In this article, we will briefly introduce how to install npm packages directly from GitHub and introduce some points to pay attention to.

First of all, we need to understand a basic principle of installing npm packages from GitHub: npm will clone the warehouse code on GitHub locally, and then run the npm install command to install the npm package in the warehouse. Therefore, when we install npm packages from GitHub, we need to pay attention to the following points:

1. First confirm whether the npm version you are using supports installing dependencies from Github

From According to the official documentation of npm, starting from npm version 5.0.0, npm has built-in support for installing dependencies from GitHub. Therefore, if your npm version is not new enough, it is recommended to upgrade the npm version first.

2. The repository on GitHub must contain the package.json file

Before introducing how to install the npm package from GitHub, we must first remind you: we can only install it from Install npm packages on a GitHub repository that contains a package.json file. Otherwise, npm will not be able to determine the package dependencies in the repository and will not be able to install the dependencies correctly.

So, when we want to install an npm package from GitHub, we need to first check whether the package.json file is included in the repository. Generally speaking, this file will be included in the GitHub repository. If not, you need to find other installation channels.

3. The location of the GitHub repository must be public or require certification

By default, npm cannot download dependencies from uncertified private repositories. Therefore, when we install an npm package from GitHub, we need to know the access permissions to the location of the repository:

• If the repository is public, then we can install it directly from GitHub.

• If the warehouse is located in a private warehouse, we have two ways to install it:

  • Add the private warehouse to the .npmrc file of npm, and log in to the Private warehouse.
  • Use GitHub Personal Access Token to access private repositories. This requires generating a Personal Access Token from your GitHub account and using it as a command line argument.

Next, let’s take a look at the specific installation steps.

Step 1: Find the address of the GitHub repository

First, to install the npm package from GitHub, we need to find the address of the repository. Generally speaking, we can find the address of the warehouse directly in npm's package list.

For example:

$ npm install https://github.com/user/repo.git

Among them, https://github.com/user/repo.git is the address of the warehouse.

Step 2: Clone the repository from GitHub

Then, we need to use the git command to clone the repository from GitHub. This can be done with the following command:

$ git clone https://github.com/user/repo.git

This command will clone the code in the warehouse to the local.

Step 3: Install dependencies

Finally, we need to enter the warehouse directory and run the npm install command to install the dependencies.

$ cd repo
$ npm install

At this time, npm will read the package.json file in the warehouse and automatically install its dependencies.

It should be noted that after using the git clone command, what we get is only the code of the warehouse, and the code is not published to npm. Therefore, if we want to publish our own npm package, we need to create a registry file in the repository or use other methods to publish it to npm.

In summary, installing npm packages from GitHub requires paying attention to some details and ensuring that the repository contains the package.json file. In addition, we also need to know the access permissions of the repository to avoid installation errors. After correctly understanding these details, we can install the npm packages we need from GitHub.

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