npm, which stands for Node Package Manager, is the default package manager for JavaScript and a vast registry for JavaScript software packages. It is a crucial tool in modern software development because it allows developers to access a massive repository of reusable code modules. Over 17 million developers worldwide rely on npm.
npm simplifies the process of managing dependencies, which are software components necessary for a package to function correctly. It provides command-line tools to install packages and manage their dependencies. The npm registry hosts over 2 million packages for various applications, including front-end, robotics, and mobile apps. Each package has a package.json file that manages the package's metadata, versioning, and dependencies, ensuring consistency and reducing conflicts during updates and team collaboration.
npm consists of a website, a Command Line Interface (CLI), and the registry. The CLI is the primary way developers interact with npm. The npm registry is the largest software registry in the world and acts as a central hub for package distribution and management.
