.TH "NPM\-INIT" "1" "undefined NaN" "" ""
.SH "NAME"
\fBnpm-init\fR \- create a package\.json file
.SS Synopsis
.P
.RS 2
.nf
npm init [\-\-force|\-f|\-\-yes|\-y|\-\-scope]
npm init <@scope> (same as `npx <@scope>/create`)
npm init [<@scope>/]<name> (same as `npx [<@scope>/]create\-<name>`)
.fi
.RE
.SS Description
.P
\fBnpm init <initializer>\fP can be used to set up a new or existing npm
package\.
.P
\fBinitializer\fP in this case is an npm package named \fBcreate\-<initializer>\fP,
which will be installed by \fBnpx\fP \fIhttps://npm\.im/npx\fR, and then have its
main bin executed \-\- presumably creating or updating \fBpackage\.json\fP and
running any other initialization\-related operations\.
.P
The init command is transformed to a corresponding \fBnpx\fP operation as
follows:
.RS 0
.IP \(bu 2
\fBnpm init foo\fP \-> \fBnpx create\-foo\fP
.IP \(bu 2
\fBnpm init @usr/foo\fP \-> \fBnpx @usr/create\-foo\fP
.IP \(bu 2
\fBnpm init @usr\fP \-> \fBnpx @usr/create\fP

.RE
.P
Any additional options will be passed directly to the command, so \fBnpm init
foo \-\- \-\-hello\fP will map to \fBnpx create\-foo \-\-hello\fP\|\.
.P
If the initializer is omitted (by just calling \fBnpm init\fP), init will fall
back to legacy init behavior\. It will ask you a bunch of questions, and
then write a package\.json for you\. It will attempt to make reasonable
guesses based on existing fields, dependencies, and options selected\. It is
strictly additive, so it will keep any fields and values that were already
set\. You can also use \fB\-y\fP/\fB\-\-yes\fP to skip the questionnaire altogether\. If
you pass \fB\-\-scope\fP, it will create a scoped package\.
.SS Examples
.P
Create a new React\-based project using
\fBcreate\-react\-app\fP \fIhttps://npm\.im/create\-react\-app\fR:
.P
.RS 2
.nf
$ npm init react\-app \./my\-react\-app
.fi
.RE
.P
Create a new \fBesm\fP\-compatible package using
\fBcreate\-esm\fP \fIhttps://npm\.im/create\-esm\fR:
.P
.RS 2
.nf
$ mkdir my\-esm\-lib && cd my\-esm\-lib
$ npm init esm \-\-yes
.fi
.RE
.P
Generate a plain old package\.json using legacy init:
.P
.RS 2
.nf
$ mkdir my\-npm\-pkg && cd my\-npm\-pkg
$ git init
$ npm init
.fi
.RE
.P
Generate it without having it ask any questions:
.P
.RS 2
.nf
$ npm init \-y
.fi
.RE
.SS A note on caching
.P
The npm cli utilizes its internal package cache when using the package
name specified\.  You can use the following to change how and when the
cli uses this cache\. See npm help \fBcache\fP for more on
how the cache works\.
.SS prefer\-online
.P
Forces staleness checks for packages, making the cli look for updates
immediately even if the package is already in the cache\.
.SS prefer\-offline
.P
Bypasses staleness checks for packages\.  Missing data will still be
requested from the server\. To force full offline mode, use \fBoffline\fP\|\.
.SS offline
.P
Forces full offline mode\. Any packages not locally cached will result in
an error\.
.SS See Also
.RS 0
.IP \(bu 2
init\-package\-json module \fIhttp://npm\.im/init\-package\-json\fR
.IP \(bu 2
npm help package\.json
.IP \(bu 2
npm help version
.IP \(bu 2
npm help scope
.IP \(bu 2
npm help exec

.RE