Local_modules NPM

local_modules

embeddable npm local_modules

With local_modules you can develop your node.js library code in your application, as if they were node_modules published on npm.

Benefits

your module contains all it's dependencies
require your local modules with absolute paths (no more: require('../../../../server/controller.js'))
your application's package.json does not get bloated.
you can publish your application that contains local_modules
the local_modules dependencies get installed
your local_modules do not have to be developed inside the node_modules directory.
it supports your development workflow and installs local_modules as local npm modules.

why would I need a module for this?

read: MOTIVATION

whow does it work?

during development, it installs your local modules dependencies and links and links your local modules into the node_modules directory.
Run:
```
lm link -f
```
when installing your app in production, it temporarely adds file: dependencies to your package.json and runs npm install to install your local modules and their dependencies. Afterwards it restores your original package.json file.
Run:
```
lm install -f
```

install

npm i -g local_modules

use

you can use local_modules from the code in node.js or via command line.

If you wan't to publish your module that contains local_modules to npm, you can add this script to your package.json.

preparation

  "scripts": {
    "postinstall": "local_modules install -f",
    ...
   }

development

to link the local modules of your app into node_modules and install their dependencies, run:

lm link -f

production/deployment

to install the local modules of your app, run:

lm install -f

command line

lm is the alias for local_modules. you can use either one.

lm -h

*lm* helps you to deal with local npm modules.
It installs local modules and it's dependencies, e.g. useful in production,
and links them to have always up to date modules e.g. during development.

Usage: lm <command> [options]

lm -h      show help
lm -v      print lm version

Commands:

install    temporary adds the local module to the package.json, runs `npm install`, and removes them from package.json again.
uninstall  removes the local modules from the package.json, and runs `npm prune`, to remove the unneeded but installed modules.
link       links the local modules into the `node_modules` folder.
unlink     removes links of the local modules inside the `node_modules` folder.
add        adds the local modules to the package.json
remove     removes the local modules from the package.json

Options:
--dir      local module dirname default:`local_modules`
--tmp      temporary package.json file ending during install
--force    forced action: remove stuff, before copying or linking

# example
// install local modules in `./lib` directory
lm install --dir lib

code

// install example
var lm = require('local_modules');
lm({cmd: 'install', dir: 'lib'});

// or link example
lm({cmd: 'link', dir: 'lib', force: true});