98 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
98 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
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---
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section: using-npm
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title: workspaces
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description: Working with workspaces
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---
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# scope(7)
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## Workspaces
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### Description
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**Workspaces** is a generic term that refers to the set of features in the
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npm cli that provides support to managing multiple packages from your local
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files system from within a singular top-level, root package.
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This set of features makes up for a much more streamlined workflow handling
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linked packages from the local file system. Automating the linking process
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as part of `npm install` and avoiding manually having to use `npm link` in
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order to add references to packages that should be symlinked into the current
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`node_modules` folder.
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We also refer to these packages being auto-symlinked during `npm install` as a
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single **workspace**, meaning it's a nested package within the current local
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file system that is explicitly defined in the [`package.json`](/using-npm/package-json)
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`workspaces` configuration.
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### Installing workspaces
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Workspaces are usually defined via the `workspaces` property of the
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[`package.json`](/using-npm/package-json) file, e.g:
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```json
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{
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"name": "my-workspaces-powered-project",
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"workspaces": [
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"workspace-a"
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]
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}
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```
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Given the above `package.json` example living at a current working
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directory `.` that contains a folder named `workspace-a` that disposes
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of a `package.json` inside it, defining a nodejs package, e.g:
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```
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.
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+-- package.json
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`-- workspace-a
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`-- package.json
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```
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The expected result once running `npm install` in this current working
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directory `.` is that the folder `workspace-a` will get symlinked to the
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`node_modules` folder of the current working dir.
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Below is a post `npm install` example, given that same previous example
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structure of files and folders:
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```
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.
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+-- node_modules
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| `-- workspace-a -> ../workspace-a
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+-- package-lock.json
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+-- package.json
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`-- workspace-a
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`-- package.json
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```
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### Using workspaces
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Given the [specifities of how Node.js handles module resolution](https://nodejs.org/dist/latest-v14.x/docs/api/modules.html#modules_all_together) it's possible to consume any defined workspace
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by it's declared `package.json` `name`. Continuing from the example defined
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above, let's also create a Node.js script that will require the `workspace-a`
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example module, e.g:
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```
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// ./workspace-a/index.js
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module.exports = 'a'
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// ./lib/index.js
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const moduleA = require('workspace-a')
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console.log(moduleA) // -> a
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```
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When running it with:
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`node lib/index.js`
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This demonstrates how the nature of `node_modules` resolution allows for
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**workspaces** to enable a portable workflow for requiring each **workspace**
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in such a way that is also easy to [publish](/cli-commands/publish) these
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nested workspaces to be consumed elsewhere.
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### See also
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* [npm install](/cli-commands/install)
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* [npm publish](/cli-commands/publish)
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