.\" generated with Ronn/v0.7.3
.\" http://github.com/rtomayko/ronn/tree/0.7.3
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.TH "NPM\-LINK" "1" "August 2014" "" ""
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.SH "NAME"
\fBnpm\-link\fR \- Symlink a package folder
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.SH "SYNOPSIS"
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.nf

npm link (in package folder)
npm link <pkgname>
npm ln (with any of the previous argument usage)
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.fi
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.SH "DESCRIPTION"
Package linking is a two\-step process\.
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.P
First, \fBnpm link\fR in a package folder will create a globally\-installed symbolic link from \fBprefix/package\-name\fR to the current folder\.
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.P
Next, in some other location, \fBnpm link package\-name\fR will create a symlink from the local \fBnode_modules\fR folder to the global symlink\.
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.P
Note that \fBpackage\-name\fR is taken from \fBpackage\.json\fR, not from directory name\.
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.P
When creating tarballs for \fBnpm publish\fR, the linked packages are "snapshotted" to their current state by resolving the symbolic links\.
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.P
This is handy for installing your own stuff, so that you can work on it and test it iteratively without having to continually rebuild\.
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.P
For example:
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.IP "" 4
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.nf

cd ~/projects/node\-redis    # go into the package directory
npm link                    # creates global link
cd ~/projects/node\-bloggy   # go into some other package directory\.
npm link redis              # link\-install the package
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.fi
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.IP "" 0
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.P
Now, any changes to ~/projects/node\-redis will be reflected in ~/projects/node\-bloggy/node_modules/redis/
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.P
You may also shortcut the two steps in one\. For example, to do the above use\-case in a shorter way:
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.IP "" 4
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.nf

cd ~/projects/node\-bloggy  # go into the dir of your main project
npm link \.\./node\-redis     # link the dir of your dependency
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.fi
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.IP "" 0
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.P
The second line is the equivalent of doing:
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.IP "" 4
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.nf

(cd \.\./node\-redis; npm link)
npm link redis
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.fi
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.IP "" 0
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.P
That is, it first creates a global link, and then links the global installation target into your project\'s \fBnode_modules\fR folder\.
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.SH "SEE ALSO"
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.IP "\(bu" 4
npm help  developers
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.IP "\(bu" 4
npm help  faq
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.IP "\(bu" 4
npm help  package\.json
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.IP "\(bu" 4
npm help install
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.IP "\(bu" 4
npm help  folders
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.IP "\(bu" 4
npm help config
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.IP "\(bu" 4
npm help  config
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.IP "\(bu" 4
npm help  npmrc
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.IP "" 0