Discover effortless npm installation on Ubuntu 20.04 with illustrated code samples

Table of content

1. Introduction
2. Prerequisites
3. Installing Node.js and npm on Ubuntu 20.04
4. Verifying the Installation
5. Installing npm Packages
6. Uninstalling npm Packages
7. Conclusion

Introduction

Hey there, lovely people! Today, I want to share something nifty with you that I discovered while tinkering around with Ubuntu 20.04. Are you ready to discover effortless npm installation on Ubuntu? Yes? Then, let's dive in!

First off, if you're not familiar with npm, it stands for Node Package Manager, and it's a pretty amazing tool that every developer should know about. Basically, npm is a repository for open-source packages of code that developers can use to build their projects. How amazing would it be to have an easy way to install all these packages without having to manually download and configure each one?

Well, that's where Ubuntu 20.04 comes in. One of the great things about this operating system is that it comes with pre-installed software that makes installing and managing packages a breeze. In this mini-guide, I'll be walking you through some illustrated code samples that will show you just how easy it is to install and manage npm packages on Ubuntu. So, let's get started!

Prerequisites

Before we get started with our effortless npm installation on Ubuntu 20.04, there are a few things we need to go over first. Don't worry, nothing too complicated, just a few to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

First off, you'll need to have Ubuntu 20.04 installed on your machine. If you haven't already done so, go ahead and download it from the Ubuntu website and get it up and running.

Next, make sure that you have access to the command-line interface, as we'll be doing most of our work there. If you're not familiar with the command-line, don't worry! It's not as scary as it looks, and once you get the hang of it, you'll find it quite nifty.

Finally, you'll need to have npm (Node Package Manager) installed on your Ubuntu machine. If you're not sure if you have it, open up your terminal and type "npm -v" (without the quotes) to see if it's installed. If it is, you should see the version number displayed. If not, don't worry, we'll cover how to install it in the next few sections.

So there you have it, three simple to get us started on our npm installation adventure. How amazingd it be if everything in life was this simple? Okay, maybe not everything, but it's nice to take a break from the complicated stuff every now and then.

Installing Node.js and npm on Ubuntu 20.04

So, you're ready to get started with npm on Ubuntu 20.04? Fantastic! Lucky for you, I recently went through the process myself and found it to be nifty and surprisingly easy!

First thing's first, let's get Node.js installed. Open up your terminal and type in the following command:

sudo apt-get install nodejs

This will install the latest version of Node.js along with the necessary packages. Once that's done, you can check the version by typing in:

node --version

You should see the version number display in the console.

Now, onto the main event: installing npm. You might be thinking, "Wait, didn't we just install Node.js? Shouldn't npm be included?" Unfortunately, no. But don't worry, it's a simple fix. Just type in:

sudo apt-get install npm

And voila! You now have npm installed on your Ubuntu 20.04 machine.

But wait, there's more! If you want to make sure you have the latest version of npm, you can upgrade by typing in:

sudo npm install -g npm@latest

This will update your npm to the latest version available.

Now that you've got Node.js and npm set up, let your imagination run wild with all the amazing things you can do with them. How amazingd it be to create your own Node.js app with npm packages? The possibilities are endless!

Verifying the Installation

Now that we've successfully installed npm, let's make sure it's actually working! is a crucial step in this process, so don't skip it.

First things first, let's check the version of npm we just installed. Type in npm -v and hit enter. You should see a number pop up, which represents the version of npm you just installed. If you get an error message instead, you may need to re-install npm.

Next, let's create a test project to make sure npm is actually doing what it's supposed to do. Create a new directory by typing mkdir test-project and then navigate into that directory with cd test-project.

Now we want to use npm to install a package. Let's install the nifty "lodash" package, which provides a bunch of useful utility functions. Type in npm install lodash and wait for it to finish. You should see a bunch of output on your screen as npm downloads and installs the files it needs.

Once that's done, create a new file called "test.js" with the command touch test.js and then open it up in your text editor of choice. Now we're going to use lodash in this file, just to prove that it's working. Copy and paste the following code into "test.js":

const _ = require('lodash');

console.log(_.capitalize('hello, world!'));

Save the file and then run it with the command node test.js. You should see the output "Hello, world!" in your terminal. If you do, congratulations! npm is now up and running on your machine.

It's pretty amazingd that with just a few simple commands, we can install packages and utilities into our projects with ease. But we're not done yet! In the next section, I'll show you some more advanced features of npm that will make your life even easier.

Installing npm Packages

So, you've got npm installed on Ubuntu 20.04 and now you're ready to start installing some awesome packages. Great! Installing packages with npm is a nifty process and I'm here to walk you through it.

First things first, let's search for the package you want to install. You can use the npm search command followed by the package name. For example, if you want to install the popular package "lodash," you can run the command:

npm search lodash

This will return a list of packages that match your search query. Once you've found the package you want, it's time to install it. You can do this using the npm install command followed by the package name. For example:

npm install lodash

And voila! You've successfully installed the lodash package using npm.

But what if you want to install a specific version of a package? No problem. Simply add the version number after the package name. For example:

npm install lodash@4.17.20

This will install version 4.17.20 of the lodash package.

One last thing to note is that when you install a package using npm, it will automatically be added as a dependency to your package.json file. This is how npm keeps track of the packages your project relies on.

And there you have it, folks. on Ubuntu 20.04 is a breeze. Now go forth and explore all the amazing packages available to you. How amazingd it be if you found the next big thing?!

Uninstalling npm Packages

Okay, now that we've talked about how to install npm packages with ease on Ubuntu 20.04, let's chat about how to uninstall them. After all, sometimes you just don't need those packages anymore, and it's nice to keep things clean and tidy, right? Lucky for us, is just as nifty as installing them!

To uninstall an npm package, all you need to do is open up your Terminal (you should be familiar with this by now!) and type in the command npm uninstall followed by the name of the package you want to uninstall. For example, if I wanted to uninstall the package "express", I would type in npm uninstall express and hit enter.

How amazingd it be if it was always this easy to uninstall things in life, am I right? But wait, there's more! Let's say you want to completely wipe everything clean and uninstall all the packages you've ever installed (maybe you're feeling a little overwhelmed, we've all been there). Well, have no fear, because there's a command for that too! Simply type in npm ls -g --depth=0 to see a list of all globally installed packages, and then use the same command as above (npm uninstall) to uninstall each package one by one.

And that's it! on Ubuntu 20.04 is a breeze. Keep your system clean and organized by uninstalling packages when you no longer need them, and feel free to experiment with different packages knowing that you can always remove them if necessary. Happy coding!

Conclusion

In , I hope that this tutorial has been helpful in simplifying the npm installation process for you. With the illustrated code samples and step-by-step instructions, it should be easy to follow along, even for beginners. Remember, npm is a powerful package manager that can enhance your development process and save you time and energy. So, don't be afraid to explore its many features and functionalities! Who knows how amazing your coding journey could be with this nifty tool at your disposal. Happy coding!