npm/pnpm/yarn

Scripts Commands

Define and run scripts in package.json for building, testing, linting, and custom workflows. Understand lifecycle hooks, pre/post scripts, and npx for one-off execution.

9 commands

Pro Tips

Use 'npx pkg' to run a package without installing it globally. Try 'npx create-react-app' or 'npx tsx script.ts'.

Use 'npm run --silent test' to suppress npm's own output — only shows your script's output.

Chain scripts: '"build": "npm run lint && npm run compile && npm run test"' runs them sequentially.

Common Mistakes

Scripts run with node_modules/.bin in PATH. Don't install tools globally when they're in devDependencies.

Pre/post lifecycle scripts (preinstall, postinstall) run automatically and can execute arbitrary code from dependencies.

Commands

Run script

$ npm run <script>

Run script defined in package.json.

Run start

$ npm start

Run start script (shorthand).

Run test

$ npm test

Run test script (shorthand).

List scripts

$ npm run

Show all available scripts.

Execute package

$ npx <command>

Execute command from local or remote package.

npx specific version

$ npx <package>@<version>

Execute specific version of package.

pnpm dlx

$ pnpm dlx <command>

Download and execute (pnpm's npx).

yarn dlx

$ yarn dlx <command>

Download and execute (yarn's npx, remote only).

Run scripts in parallel

$ npm-run-all --parallel dev:*

Run matching scripts in parallel.