npm-bundle

Similar to npm pack but includes packages in the dependencies section of the package.json.

If you wish to include dependencies and use npm-pack you must do the following:

1. create bundledDependencies section in package.json
2. remember to update bundledDependencies before executing npm pack
3. remember to execute npm install before executing npm pack
4. remember to execute npm install --legacy-bundling when using npm v3.x because deduped dependencies will not be included.
5. remember that npm install --legacy-bundling is not available in npm v3 .x < v3.5

There must be a better way...

Prerequisites

• node v0.10 or later
• npm v1.x, v2.x or npm > v3.5 (npm v3 less than 3.5 does not support disabling dedup)

Install

npm install -g npm-bundle

CLI Usage

You can use the same arguments and options as npm install. There is an additional --verbose option to help with debugging issues.

# The current directory containing a package.json
npm-bundle

# Verbose, useful for debugging errors
npm-bundle --verbose

# A tarball in the current directory
npm-bundle something-1.0.0.tgz

# A package from the registry
npm-bundle request

# A tarball url
npm-bundle https://github.com/indexzero/node-portfinder/archive/v0.4.0.tar.gz    

# Specify a private registry
npm-bundle secretPackage --registry=http://private.something.com/npm

Programmatic Usage

var npmBundle = require('npm-bundle')
var args = []
var options = {
  verbose: true
}

npmBundle(args, options, function onNpmBundle (error, output) {
  if (error) {
    throw error
  }
  process.stdout.write(output.file)
})

The given callback receives an error parameter and an output object parameter.

The output object will have the following properties:

• file - output from npm pack executed on temporary install directory

Behind the Scenes

The install is happening in the .npmbundle temporary directory, so only use npm install options relevant for that directory.

The npm executable (required to be on your path) does the heavy lifting to ensure behavior is consistent with what you expect from npm.

Here is a simplified view of the workflow:

• cd .npmbundle
• npm install <package_name> --production --legacy-bundling
• set bundledDependencies in .npmbundle/node_modules/<package_name>/package.json
• cd startDir
• npm pack .npmbundle/node_modules/<package_name>

Differences from npm pack

1. The entire dependency tree (legacy, not deduped) is included in the output tarball
2. The additional arguments of npm install, ie. a tarball url
3. The additional options of npm install, ie. --registry=http://something
4. The package.json in the output tarball has npm install metadata
5. --verbose option for help with debugging
6. All three publish scripts are prefixed with an underscore in the package .json in the output tarball (a workaround to ensure they are only run once)

Changelog

• v3.0.3

  • Fixed #10: The .npmrc is ignored when bundling directories

• v3.0.1

  • run-scripts issue fixed by disabling publish scripts prior to npm pack
  • engine corrected to be Node.js v0.10

• v3.0.0

  • The contents is no longer output, use tar -tvf something.tgz instead

• v2.0.4

  • .npmbundle folder is no longer included in the output file

• v2.0.3

  • The issue with options not being passed was fixed.

• v2.0.0

  • Everything is now executed asynchronously
  • Support for node v0.10

• v1.1.1

  • Show list of included files and folders