What is NPM?

NPM stands for Node Package Manager, which is a (program) tool managing Javascript programming libraries for Node.js. This tool is actually necessary for the open source world. In the Javascript community, developers share hundreds of thousands of code snippets that help new projects avoid rewriting basic components, programming libraries or even frameworks. Each of these code snippets may depend on many other open source codes. Fortunately, library management tools are born. If not, it will take a lot of effort to manage these libraries.

NPM is basically similar to Maven. The difference here is that the NPM manages Javascript librarieswhile the Maven manages Java libraries.

A piece of software similar to the NPM is Yarn, developed by Facebook, with outstanding features is emerging as an alternative to the NPM. In the same situation, Java library management software is Gradle, with its outstanding features, which is gradually replacing Maven.

To be able to run NPM software, your system needs installing NodeJS. The NPM software is built in NodeJS installer, therefore, when you have finished installing the NodeJS, you will have both of them.

After the NPM has been installed on your computer, you can examine its version:

npm -v

Because the NPM is a piece of software installed on your computer, you can use it to install Javascript libraries from the Internet. To install a library, it is necessary to open only CMD window and execute the command as below:

npm install <package name>

npm install vue

And you can use Vue.js in your Javascript code:

var Vue = require('vue');