Advanced npm Scripts with Pre/Post Hooks

Beginner10 min

Automate build, test, and deployment workflows using npm scripts with lifecycle hooks, cross-platform commands, and script composition.

Prerequisites

-Node.js and npm installed

Steps

Define common scripts

Set up build, test, and development scripts in package.json.

$ npm pkg set scripts.dev='next dev' scripts.build='next build' scripts.start='next start' scripts.test='jest --coverage' scripts.lint='eslint . --fix'

Add pre and post lifecycle hooks

Run tasks automatically before or after standard scripts.

$ npm pkg set scripts.prebuild='npm run lint && npm run test' scripts.postbuild='echo Build completed at $(date)'

Pre/post hooks run automatically. 'prebuild' runs before 'build', 'postbuild' runs after. This works for any script name.

Compose scripts with npm-run-all

Run multiple scripts in parallel or sequentially.

$ npm install -D npm-run-all2 && npm pkg set scripts.validate='run-s lint test build' scripts.dev:all='run-p dev:api dev:web'

run-s runs scripts sequentially (stops on failure). run-p runs them in parallel.

Use environment variables in scripts

Pass configuration to scripts via environment variables.

$ npm pkg set scripts.build:prod='NODE_ENV=production npm run build' scripts.test:ci='CI=true npm test -- --reporters=default --reporters=jest-junit'

Setting env vars inline like NODE_ENV=production works on macOS/Linux but not Windows. Use cross-env for cross-platform compatibility.

List and run available scripts

View all defined scripts and understand what is available.

$ npm run

Full Script

full-script.sh

#!/bin/bash
# npm Script Automation Setup
set -euo pipefail

echo "=== Current Scripts ==="
npm run 2>/dev/null || echo "No scripts defined"

echo ""
echo "=== Setting Up Standard Scripts ==="

# Core scripts
npm pkg set scripts.dev='next dev'
npm pkg set scripts.build='next build'
npm pkg set scripts.start='next start'
npm pkg set scripts.lint='eslint . --ext .ts,.tsx --fix'
npm pkg set scripts.test='jest --coverage'
npm pkg set scripts.typecheck='tsc --noEmit'

# Lifecycle hooks
npm pkg set scripts.prebuild='npm run typecheck'
npm pkg set scripts.pretest='npm run lint'

# Composite scripts
npm pkg set scripts.validate='npm run lint && npm run typecheck && npm run test && npm run build'
npm pkg set scripts.clean='rm -rf .next node_modules/.cache dist'

echo ""
echo "=== Updated Scripts ==="
npm run

FAQ

Discussion

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#!/bin/bash # npm Script Automation Setup set -euo pipefail echo "=== Current Scripts ===" npm run 2>/dev/null || echo "No scripts defined" echo "" echo "=== Setting Up Standard Scripts ===" # Core scripts npm pkg set scripts.dev='next dev' npm pkg set scripts.build='next build' npm pkg set scripts.start='next start' npm pkg set scripts.lint='eslint . --ext .ts,.tsx --fix' npm pkg set scripts.test='jest --coverage' npm pkg set scripts.typecheck='tsc --noEmit' # Lifecycle hooks npm pkg set scripts.prebuild='npm run typecheck' npm pkg set scripts.pretest='npm run lint' # Composite scripts npm pkg set scripts.validate='npm run lint && npm run typecheck && npm run test && npm run build' npm pkg set scripts.clean='rm -rf .next node_modules/.cache dist' echo "" echo "=== Updated Scripts ===" npm run