npm Package

An npm package is a JavaScript module that has been packaged and uploaded to the npm server. Once a module has been uploaded to npm, it can quickly be installed and used by anyone.

This probably isn't new to you, as anyone who has used Node.js quickly ends up installing a package. What is less commonly done and known about is how to create and upload a package. It's easy to spend years as a developer without having the need to publish a public module, yet it is something worth knowing. It will help not only when you want to export your own module, but when you want to read and understand the packages that your project uses.

The first step in creating an npm module is making sure you have a complete package.json file. When running a project locally, it is normal to not worry much about fields such as author and description. It's a different story when you prepare a module for public use. You should take the time to fill out all fields relevant to your...