[npm] Running npm command within Visual Studio Code

Is there anyway of executing the npm command within Visual Studio Code (using f1 into >) on Windows(10) to install packages to my folder I'm working in?

I have npm installed and I keep having to install npm packages from cmd

This question is related to npm visual-studio-code

The answer is


There is an extension available, npm Script runner. I have not tried it myself, though.


VSCode User Setup is a new installer which installs VSCode and its dependencies in directories which don't require system-level / administrator permissions to modify. This is because New VSCode runs with user privileges. Your Nodejs installation added npm's path as System variable which VSCode cannot read.

Adding NPM path to Path variable in the User variable, you will be able to run NPM from the integrated command line.


One reason might be if you install the node after starting the vs code,as vs code terminal integrated or external takes the path value which was at the time of starting the vs code and gives you error:

'node' is not recognized as an internal or external command,operable program or batch file.

A simple restart of vs code will solve the issue.


Same thing was happening to me after I installed Node.js. Node and npm was recognized in PowerShell and Command Prompt but not in VS Code. I fixed it by adding the Node.js install path to the system's environment PATH variable. The node.js install path on my system was:

C:\Program Files\nodejs

Where I find the node.exe that is needed. The user's PATH variable already had the Node.js install path but for some reason VS Code needs the Node.js install path in the system's PATH variables.

Windows 10 instructions:

  1. Windows key and type "environment"
  2. Select "Edit the system environment variables"
  3. Click button labelled "Environment Variables..."
  4. In "System variables" section edit the "Path" variable
  5. Add Node.js install path to the list (C:\Program Files\nodejs)

The other answers were great but this is another way to fix it that worked for me without needing to install stuff, run as admin, or change the default settings.


As an alternative to some of the answers suggested above, if you have powershell installed, you can invoke that directly as your terminal. That is edit the corresponding setting.json value as follows:

"terminal.integrated.shell.windows": "C:\\WINDOWS\\System32\\WindowsPowerShell\\v1.0\\powershell.exe"

I find this works well as the environment is correctly configured.


All you need to do is to add args to the integrated terminal within 'User Settings' window.

Follow this steps below to do that:

  1. List item
  2. Go to 'User Settings'
  3. Search for setting named - "terminal.integrated.shellArgs.windows"
  4. Edit this setting by copying it to the right side.
  5. Add the following arg value = "/k nodevars.bat", e.g. "terminal.integrated.shellArgs.windows": ["/k nodevars.bat"],
  6. Make sure that the setting named "terminal.integrated.shell.windows" is set to the value - "C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe". If not then do that.
  7. Open new Terminal.

Good luck


To install npm on VS Code:

  1. Click Ctrl+P
  2. Write ext install npm script runner
  3. On the results list look for npm 'npm commands for VS Code'. This npm manages commands. Click Install, then Reload VS Code to save changes
  4. Restart VS Code
  5. On the Integrated Terminal, Run 'npm install'

Try to install PowerShell extension provided by VS code.

PowerShell Extension

After install click on PowerShell and It will start new PowerShell Console where you can run all script

PowerShell Console


You can run npm commands directly in terminal (ctrl + `). Make sure that terminal has cmd.exe as the shell selected.

You can default cmd.exe as your shell by following these steps.

  1. ctrl+Shift+p
  2. Type > Select Default Shell + Enter
  3. Select > Command Prompt ...cmd.exe
  4. Restart VS Code.

You have to do the following 3 steps to fix your issues:

1.Download Node.js from here.

  1. Install it and then add the path C:\Program Files\nodejs to your System variables.

  2. Then restart your visual studio code editor.

Happy code


Open standard terminal ctrl+p and paste this command

npm i script-runner

Need to see this logs npm should be run outside of the node repl, in your normal shell. (Press Control-D to exit.)

(To exit, press ^C again or type .exit)

C:\DW\Examples\Ang.Crud>npm i script-runner npm WARN saveError ENOENT: no such file or directory, open 'C:\DW\Examples\Ang.Crud\package.json' npm notice created a lockfile as package-lock.json. You should commit this file. npm WARN enoent ENOENT: no such file or directory, open 'C:\DW\Examples\Ang.Crud\package.json' npm WARN Ang.Crud No description npm WARN Ang.Crud No repository field. npm WARN Ang.Crud No README data npm WARN Ang.Crud No license field.

  • [email protected] added 7 packages from 5 contributors and audited 7 packages in 2.955s found 0 vulnerabilities

Usage: npm

where is one of: access, adduser, audit, bin, bugs, c, cache, ci, cit, completion, config, create, ddp, dedupe, deprecate, dist-tag, docs, doctor, edit, explore, get, help, help-search, hook, i, init, install, install-test, it, link, list, ln, login, logout, ls, outdated, owner, pack, ping, prefix, profile, prune, publish, rb, rebuild, repo, restart, root, run, run-script, s, se, search, set, shrinkwrap, star, stars, start, stop, t, team, test, token, tst, un, uninstall, unpublish, unstar, up, update, v, version, view, whoami

npm -h quick help on npm -l display full usage info npm help search for help on npm help npm involved overview

Specify configs in the ini-formatted file: C:\Users\fdc.npmrc or on the command line via: npm --key value Config info can be viewed via: npm help config

[email protected] C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm


On Win10 I had to run VSCode as administrator to npm commands work.


  1. Edit user setting file settings.json.
    • Settings > Search for settings.json > Edit in settings.json
    or
    • Run > type %APPDATA%\Code\User\settings.json
  2. Copy this code
    { "terminal.integrated.shell.windows": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\cmd.exe", "terminal.integrated.shellArgs.windows": ["/k nodevars.bat"] }
  3. Restart VS Code

There might be a chance that you have install node.js while your visual studio code was open. Once node.js is install successfully, Simply close the VS Code and Start it again. It will work. Thank you


I installed npm after Visual studio code, closed all visual studio instances and opened again and it started working.


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