npm completion command

The npm completion command provides a way to enable shell completion for npm commands, making it easier to use the npm CLI by suggesting commands and arguments as you type. This can save time and reduce the risk of making typos, especially when dealing with long command names or package names.

Prerequisite

• Node
• NPM (Node Package Manager)

These are the following topics that we are going to discuss:

What is the completion command?

The npm completion command is a feature in npm (Node Package Manager) that helps us to write npm commands faster. It suggests or auto-completes npm commands when we start typing. the

Steps to use the npm completion command

To enable npm command-line completion, follow these steps:

For Unix-based Systems(Mac/Linux):

Step 1: Install Node.js

First, make sure you have Node.js installed. You can download it from the official Node.js website.

Step 2: Enable npm Completion

To enable the npm completion command, run the following command in your terminal.

npm completion >> ~/.bashrc

Now type npm and press the Tab key to see it.

For Windows (Using Git Bash or PowerShell)

• If you are using Windows, it requires a slightly different setup. Here are two common ways:
• Install Git Bash if you don't have it. Run the following command in Git Bash:

npm completion >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Now try typing npm and press Tab to auto-complete commands.

Example

Before completion: You start typing:

npm inst

Press Tab: It auto-completes to:

npm install

If we press Tab twice after typing npm, it shows you a list of all available npm commands:

npm install
npm init
npm update

Why use npm completion?

• Improves efficiency by reducing typing.
• Helps avoid syntax errors.
• Offers suggestions for commands, flags, and package names.

Common issues and troubleshooting

• "Command not found" error: Make sure npm is installed correctly. Run npm -v to check if npm is available.
• Changes not applying: If you don’t see npm completion working, make sure you have applied the changes by running source ~/.bashrc (Mac/Linux) or . $PROFILE (Windows PowerShell).
• The system cannot find the path specified (Windows): This happens if you are running the command in the default Command Prompt. Use Git Bash or PowerShell instead.

Best Practices for npm completion

• Learn the available commands: npm completion shows you the available commands when you press Tab. It’s a good way to familiarize yourself with npm commands.
• Use it to avoid errors: Since it auto-completes the correct commands, you won’t have to worry about making typos in long commands.
• Customize your shell: You can configure your shell to make npm completion even faster or more convenient, depending on your needs.

Conclusion

The npm completion command is a very useful feature provided by npm, it help us to work with npm commands in a smooth way. We can write commads typo free which saves time.