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NPM & Yarn Commands Cheatsheet
Complete side-by-side reference for npm and Yarn — from initializing projects and managing dependencies to publishing packages, workspaces, and cache management. Bookmark and never look up a command again.
Init & Setup
npmyarnDescription
npm
npm inityarn
yarn initinfoCreate a new package.json interactively
npm
npm init -yyarn
yarn init -yinfoCreate package.json with all defaults
npm
npm init @scopeyarn
yarn create @scopeinfoRun a create-* package scaffolder
npm
npx create-react-app my-appyarn
yarn dlx create-react-app my-appinfoExecute a package binary without installing globally
npm
npx <package>yarn
yarn dlx <package>infoRun a one-off command from a package
npm
npm installyarn
yarn / yarn installinfoInstall all dependencies from lock file
npm
npm ciyarn
yarn install --frozen-lockfileinfoClean install — strict lock file, no updates (CI use)
npm
npm install --legacy-peer-depsyarn
yarn install --ignore-enginesinfoBypass peer dependency / engine conflicts
npm
npm set init-author-name "Name"yarn
yarn config set init-author-name "Name"infoSet default author name for new projects
npm
npm set init-license MITyarn
yarn config set init-license MITinfoSet default license for new projects
Dependencies
npmyarnDescription
npm
npm install <pkg>yarn
yarn add <pkg>infoAdd a production dependency
npm
npm install <pkg> --save-devyarn
yarn add <pkg> --devinfoAdd a dev dependency
npm
npm install <pkg> --save-exactyarn
yarn add <pkg> --exactinfoPin to an exact version (no ^ or ~)
npm
npm install <pkg>@<version>yarn
yarn add <pkg>@<version>infoInstall a specific version
npm
npm install <pkg> --globalyarn
yarn global add <pkg>infoInstall a package globally
npm
npm uninstall <pkg>yarn
yarn remove <pkg>infoRemove a dependency
npm
npm uninstall <pkg> --globalyarn
yarn global remove <pkg>infoRemove a globally installed package
npm
npm updateyarn
yarn upgradeinfoUpdate all packages to latest allowed by semver range
npm
npm update <pkg>yarn
yarn upgrade <pkg>infoUpdate a specific package
npm
npm outdatedyarn
yarn outdatedinfoList packages with newer versions available
npm
npm audityarn
yarn auditinfoCheck for known security vulnerabilities
npm
npm audit fixyarn
yarn audit (manual fix)infoAuto-fix vulnerable dependencies
npm
npm fundyarn
yarn fundinfoList packages seeking funding
npm
npm install <pkg>@latestyarn
yarn add <pkg>@latestinfoForce install the latest version
npm
npm install <git-url>yarn
yarn add <git-url>infoInstall from a Git repository URL
npm
npm install ./local-pkgyarn
yarn add file:./local-pkginfoInstall from a local folder
npm
npm dedupeyarn
yarn dedupeinfoFlatten duplicate packages in node_modules
Scripts
npmyarnDescription
npm
npm run <script>yarn
yarn <script> / yarn run <script>infoRun a script defined in package.json
npm
npm startyarn
yarn startinfoRun the start script (shortcut — no 'run' needed)
npm
npm testyarn
yarn testinfoRun the test script
npm
npm run buildyarn
yarn buildinfoRun the build script
npm
npm run lintyarn
yarn lintinfoRun the lint script
npm
npm run devyarn
yarn devinfoRun the dev / development server script
npm
npm run <script> -- --flagyarn
yarn <script> --flaginfoPass additional flags to a script
npm
npm run envyarn
yarn run envinfoList environment variables available to scripts
npm
npm restartyarn
yarn run restartinfoRun prerestart, restart, and postrestart scripts
npm
npm stopyarn
yarn run stopinfoRun the stop script
npm
pre<script> / post<script>yarn
pre<script> / post<script>infoLifecycle hooks — run before/after any script automatically
Publishing
npmyarnDescription
npm
npm loginyarn
yarn logininfoAuthenticate with the npm registry
npm
npm logoutyarn
yarn logoutinfoLog out of the npm registry
npm
npm whoamiyarn
yarn whoami (npm whoami)infoShow the currently logged-in username
npm
npm publishyarn
yarn publishinfoPublish the package to the registry
npm
npm publish --access publicyarn
yarn publish --access publicinfoPublish a scoped package as public
npm
npm publish --tag nextyarn
yarn publish --tag nextinfoPublish with a specific dist-tag
npm
npm packyarn
yarn packinfoCreate a tarball of the package without publishing
npm
npm version <major|minor|patch>yarn
yarn version --<major|minor|patch>infoBump the package version and create a Git tag
npm
npm version prerelease --preid=betayarn
yarn version --prereleaseinfoCreate a prerelease version
npm
npm deprecate <pkg>@<ver> "msg"yarn
npm deprecate <pkg>@<ver> "msg"infoMark a published version as deprecated
npm
npm unpublish <pkg>@<ver>yarn
npm unpublish <pkg>@<ver>infoRemove a specific version from the registry
npm
npm dist-tag add <pkg>@<ver> latestyarn
yarn tag add <pkg>@<ver> latestinfoManage distribution tags for published packages
npm
npm owner add <user> <pkg>yarn
yarn owner add <user> <pkg>infoAdd a maintainer to a package
Registry & Config
npmyarnDescription
npm
npm config listyarn
yarn config listinfoShow all configuration settings
npm
npm config get <key>yarn
yarn config get <key>infoGet a specific config value
npm
npm config set <key> <value>yarn
yarn config set <key> <value>infoSet a config value
npm
npm config delete <key>yarn
yarn config delete <key>infoRemove a config value
npm
npm config set registry <url>yarn
yarn config set registry <url>infoChange the default registry URL
npm
npm config set //registry/:_authToken=<t>yarn
yarn config set npmAuthToken <t>infoSet an authentication token for a registry
npm
.npmrc (project or user)yarn
.yarnrc.yml (Yarn Berry)infoConfig file for persistent settings
npm
npm config set save-exact trueyarn
yarn config set save-prefix ""infoAlways pin exact versions by default
npm
npm config set engine-strict trueyarn
yarn config set enableStrictEngine trueinfoEnforce engine constraints in package.json
npm
npm token createyarn
npm token createinfoCreate a new authentication token
npm
npm token listyarn
npm token listinfoList all active authentication tokens
Workspace & Monorepo
npmyarnDescription
npm
"workspaces": ["packages/*"]yarn
"workspaces": ["packages/*"]infoDeclare workspaces in root package.json
npm
npm install (from root)yarn
yarn install (from root)infoInstall deps for all workspaces and hoist shared packages
npm
npm run <script> -w <pkg>yarn
yarn workspace <pkg> <script>infoRun a script in a specific workspace
npm
npm run <script> --workspacesyarn
yarn workspaces foreach run <script>infoRun a script across all workspaces
npm
npm install <dep> -w <pkg>yarn
yarn workspace <pkg> add <dep>infoAdd a dependency to a specific workspace
npm
npm ls --all --workspacesyarn
yarn workspaces listinfoList all workspaces and their locations
npm
npm exec -w <pkg> -- <cmd>yarn
yarn workspace <pkg> exec <cmd>infoExecute a command in a workspace context
npm
npm publish --workspacesyarn
yarn workspaces foreach npm publishinfoPublish all workspace packages
npm
npx lerna inityarn
npx lerna initinfoInitialize Lerna for monorepo management
npm
npx lerna run buildyarn
npx lerna run buildinfoRun build across all Lerna packages
npm
npx lerna versionyarn
npx lerna versioninfoBump versions for changed Lerna packages
Cache & Cleanup
npmyarnDescription
npm
npm cache clean --forceyarn
yarn cache cleaninfoClear the local package cache
npm
npm cache verifyyarn
yarn cache listinfoVerify / list contents of the cache
npm
npm cache lsyarn
yarn cache list --pattern <pkg>infoList cached packages
npm
npm pruneyarn
yarn autoclean --forceinfoRemove extraneous packages not in dependencies
npm
rm -rf node_modules && npm installyarn
rm -rf node_modules && yarninfoFull clean reinstall
npm
npm cache clean --force && rm -rf node_modulesyarn
yarn cache clean && rm -rf node_modulesinfoNuclear option — clear cache and reinstall everything
npm
npm config get cacheyarn
yarn cache dirinfoShow the path to the cache directory
Info & Inspection
npmyarnDescription
npm
npm lsyarn
yarn listinfoList installed packages as a dependency tree
npm
npm ls --allyarn
yarn list --allinfoShow full dependency tree including nested
npm
npm ls <pkg>yarn
yarn list --pattern <pkg>infoCheck if and where a package is installed
npm
npm info <pkg>yarn
yarn info <pkg>infoShow registry metadata for a package
npm
npm view <pkg> versionsyarn
yarn info <pkg> versionsinfoList all published versions of a package
npm
npm view <pkg> dependenciesyarn
yarn info <pkg> dependenciesinfoShow a package's dependencies
npm
npm why <pkg>yarn
yarn why <pkg>infoExplain why a package is installed (dependency chain)
npm
npm explain <pkg>yarn
yarn why <pkg>infoDetailed explanation of dependency resolution path
npm
npm doctoryarn
(no equivalent)infoRun diagnostics — checks node, registry, cache, permissions
npm
npm binyarn
yarn bininfoShow the path to the local bin directory
npm
npm bin --globalyarn
yarn global bininfoShow the path to the global bin directory
npm
npm rootyarn
yarn root (custom)infoShow the path to node_modules
npm
npm prefixyarn
(pwd)infoShow the closest parent with a package.json
npm
npm -vyarn
yarn -vinfoShow the installed package manager version
npm
npm help <command>yarn
yarn help <command>infoShow documentation for a specific command
npm
npm search <term>yarn
npm search <term>infoSearch the registry for packages
FAQ
What are the main differences between npm, Yarn, and pnpm?
npm is the default Node.js package manager — universal and well-supported. Yarn (by Facebook) introduced lock files, workspaces, and parallel installs before npm caught up. Yarn Berry (v2+) uses Plug'n'Play for zero node_modules. pnpm uses a content-addressable store with hard links, saving disk space and enforcing strict dependency isolation. All three share the same registry. Choose npm for simplicity, Yarn for workspaces/PnP features, and pnpm for speed and disk efficiency in monorepos.
What are lock files and why are they important?
Lock files (package-lock.json for npm, yarn.lock for Yarn, pnpm-lock.yaml for pnpm) record the exact resolved version of every installed dependency. They ensure that every developer and CI environment gets identical node_modules. Always commit lock files to version control. Without them, different installs can resolve different versions, leading to 'works on my machine' bugs.
How do peer dependencies work?
Peer dependencies declare that your package is compatible with a specific version of another package, but expects the consuming project to provide it. For example, a React component library might list react as a peerDependency. npm 7+ auto-installs peer deps (with warnings on conflicts). Yarn and pnpm show warnings but don't auto-install. Use --legacy-peer-deps (npm) to bypass strict resolution if you hit conflicts.
What is the difference between npx and yarn dlx?
Both execute a package binary without permanently installing it. npx (bundled with npm 5.2+) first checks local node_modules/.bin, then global installs, then downloads temporarily. yarn dlx (Yarn Berry) always downloads to a temp folder and runs — it never uses locally installed packages. Both are perfect for scaffolding tools (create-react-app, create-next-app) and one-off utilities you don't want cluttering your global installs.