npm install doesn't create node_modules directory

Question

I am trying to do a homework for a mongodb uni course. They gave us some files, instructions are:

run npm install mongodb then node app.js

for some reason npm install does not create a node_modules directory but I don't see any build errors:

mongo-uni/hw1-2$ npm install mongodb
npm WARN package.json path@0.4.9 path is also the name of a node core module.
npm http GET https://registry.npmjs.org/mongodb
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/mongodb
npm http GET https://registry.npmjs.org/bson/0.2.5
npm http GET https://registry.npmjs.org/kerberos/0.0.3
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/kerberos/0.0.3
npm http 304 https://registry.npmjs.org/bson/0.2.5

> kerberos@0.0.3 install /home/jasonshark/node_modules/mongodb/node_modules/kerberos
> (node-gyp rebuild 2> builderror.log) || (exit 0)

make: Entering directory `/home/jasonshark/node_modules/mongodb/node_modules/kerberos/build'
  SOLINK_MODULE(target) Release/obj.target/kerberos.node
  SOLINK_MODULE(target) Release/obj.target/kerberos.node: Finished
  COPY Release/kerberos.node
make: Leaving directory `/home/jasonshark/node_modules/mongodb/node_modules/kerberos/build'

> bson@0.2.5 install /home/jasonshark/node_modules/mongodb/node_modules/bson
> (node-gyp rebuild 2> builderror.log) || (exit 0)

make: Entering directory `/home/jasonshark/node_modules/mongodb/node_modules/bson/build'
  CXX(target) Release/obj.target/bson/ext/bson.o
make: Leaving directory `/home/jasonshark/node_modules/mongodb/node_modules/bson/build'
mongodb@1.3.23 ../../../node_modules/mongodb
├── kerberos@0.0.3
└── bson@0.2.5
mongo-uni/hw1-2$ node app.js
Failed to load c++ bson extension, using pure JS version
'No document found'

Answer 1

npm init

It is all you need. It will create the package.json file on the fly for you.

Answer 2

NPM has created a node_modules directory at '/home/jasonshark/' path.

From your question it looks like you wanted node_modules to be created in the current directory.

For that,

1. Create project directory : mkdir <project-name>
2. Switch to : cd <project-name>
3. Do : npm init //This will create package.json file at current path

4. Open package.json & fill it something like below

   { "name": "project-name", "version": "project-version", "dependencies": { "mongodb": "*" } }

5. Now do : npm install OR npm update

Now it will create node_modules directory under folder 'project-name' you created.

Answer 3

See @Cesco's answer: npm init is really all you need

---

I was having the same issue - running npm install somePackage was not generating a node_modules dir.

I created a package.json file at the root, which contained a simple JSON obj:

{
    "name": "please-work"
}

On the next npm install the node_modules directory appeared.

Answer 4

If you have a package-lock.json file, you may have to delete that file then run npm i. That worked for me

Answer 5

I ran into this trying to integrate React Native into an existing swift project using cocoapods. The FB docs (at time of writing) did not specify that npm install react-native wouldn't work without first having a package.json file. Per the RN docs set your entry point: (index.js) as index.ios.js

Answer 6

As soon as you have run npm init and you start installing npm packages it'll create the node_moduals folder after that first install

e.g

npm init

(Asks you to set up your package.json file)

npm install <package name here> --save-dev

installs package & creates the node modules directory

Answer 7

For node_modules you have to follow the below steps

1) In Command prompt -> Goto your project directory.

2) Command :sudo npm init

3) It asks you to set up your package.json file

4) Command: sudo npm install or sudo npm update

Note:: If any permission issue persist while above steps please give folder permission as given below

sudo chmod -R 777 <folder name>