[javascript] Difference between npx and npm?

npx runs a command of a package without installing it explicitly.

Use cases:

  • You don't want to install packages neither globally nor locally.
  • You don't have permission to install it globally.
  • Just want to test some commands.
  • Sometime, you want to have a script command (generate, convert something, ...) in package.json to execute something without installing these packages as project's dependencies.

Syntax:

npx [options] [-p|--package <package>] <command> [command-arg]...

Package is optional:

npx   -p uglify-js         uglifyjs --output app.min.js app.js common.js
      +----------------+   +--------------------------------------------+
      package (optional)   command, followed by arguments

For example:

Start a HTTP Server      : npx http-server
Lint code                : npx eslint ./src
                         # Run uglifyjs command in the package uglify-js
Minify JS                : npx -p uglify-js uglifyjs -o app.min.js app.js common.js
Minify CSS               : npx clean-css-cli -o style.min.css css/bootstrap.css style.css
Minify HTML              : npx html-minifier index-2.html -o index.html --remove-comments --collapse-whitespace
Scan for open ports      : npx evilscan 192.168.1.10 --port=10-9999
Cast video to Chromecast : npx castnow http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/gtv-videos-bucket/sample/ForBiggerFun.mp4

More about command: