ts-npmrc

A simple CLI tool for managing multiple npm profiles

Overview

ts-npmrc is a command line tool for managing multiple .npmrc files. Built to provide an updated alternative to npmrc, ts-npmrc has all previous features, support for requested features and provides more control over linking capabilities. As an alternative to npmrc, it uses the same NPMRC_STORE path allowing you to switch to ts-npmrc with ease and grace. Currently, you can manage (create/delete/link/list) .npmrc files via this tool.

Goal

This tool aims to provide an updated npmrc profile manager which takes into consideration more recent configuration use cases in DevOps/CI pipelines and workflows.

Feel free to open an issue for any discussions (on use cases, design, implementation), suggestions or features requests you may have.

Installation

$ npm install -g ts-npmrc

Note for Windows

You may have to use a shell (cmd, PowerShell, etc) with elevated privileges (run as administrator).

Environment Variables

• NPMRC - Path to .npmrc file used by npm. Defaults to npm's per-user config file ~/.npmrc
• NPMRC_STORE- Path to directory of stored profiles. Defaults to ~/.npmrcs/.

Usage

$ ts-npmrc --help

ts-npmrc: A simple tool for managing multiple .npmrc profiles

usage: ts-npmrc [-h] <command> ...

Positional arguments:
  <command>
    create    Create a new profile
    delete    Deletes a stored profile
    list      Lists all stored .npmrc profiles
    link      Creates symlink for specified profile

Optional arguments:
  -h, --help  Show this help message and exit.

For detailed help about a specific command, use: ts-npmrc <command> -h

Initialization

When executing, ts-npmrc will create the npmrc store directory (specified by NPMRC_STORE or ~/.npmrcs/) if it doesn't exist. If you have a .npmrc file in the directory (specified by NPMRC or ~/.npmrc), ts-npmrc will copy this to a .npmrc profile named 'default' and AUTOMATICALLY create a symbolic link to point to it.

$ ts-npmrc

ts-npmrc: A simple tool for managing multiple .npmrc profiles

npmrc-store folder does not exist. ts-npmrc will create a store to manage your profiles

Creating npmrc-store at ~\.npmrcs
Linking default profile...
Activating .npmrc (default)

NOTE: This is the only time the tool automatically links a target profile, for all other you must manually run ts-npmrc link -p <target_profile> for activation.

Create a new profile

$ ts-npmrc create -p newProfile

ts-npmrc: A simple tool for managing multiple .npmrc profiles

Creating new profile for newProfile

List .npmrc profiles in store

$ ts-npmrc list 

ts-npmrc: A simple tool for managing multiple .npmrc profiles

Stored profiles:

 newProfile (active)
 default

Delete a .npmrc profile from store

$ ts-npmrc delete -p targetProfile

ts-npmrc: A simple tool for managing multiple .npmrc profiles

Attempting to delete profile targetProfile
The profile being deleted is currently active. Removing symlink to targetProfile.

Deleting: ~\.npmrc
You need to link a .npmrc profile using "ts-npmrc link".

Deleting: ~\.npmrcs\targetProfile

Link and activate a .npmrc profile

Linking in ts-npmrc is synonymous to switching profiles in npmrc. Instead of doing it automatically upon creation, we give users the power to manually link to a target profile.

$ ts-npmrc link -p targetProfile

ts-npmrc: A simple tool for managing multiple .npmrc profiles

ts-npmrc link is executing

Initializing link action
Linking targetProfile profile...
Removing old .npmrc at default
Activating .npmrc (targetProfile)

You can add config options to the target .npmrc profile manually or, via npm-config set followed by npm adduser or npm login to authenticate. In both cases, just simply run ts-npmrc link -p <target> after you've set up your target .npmrc file to activate.

FAQ

Differences with npmrc?

• I stumbled across the necessity of an updated npmrc tool while exploring scenarios tackled by @microsoft/rush, as a result it is modeled after robust implementations used in @microsoft/rushstack
• Modular design using @microsoft/ts-command-line
• Uses @microsoft/node-core-library FileSystem API
• Ability to delete profile, manually link and sync (WIP)
• Structured and extensible using @microsoft/ts-command-line scaffold pattern
• No fuzzy matching

Private Registries?

More companies now use private registry solutions for securely sharing and distributing javascript modules within their organization. Private registries allow for:

• Easy internal sharing of private and proprietary closed-source modules
• Better control of development and deployment workflow.
• Stricter security around deploying open-source modules.
• Compliance with legal requirements to host code on-premises.
• Better code discovery and sharing within their organization.

Why use multiple registries?

• Some of your modules are open-source and thus published to the public npm registry (https://registry.npmjs.org) and others are private and published to your private registry.
• You use multiple private registries: For example a company-wide registry for stable versions of modules and multiple per-team registries with nightly builds of each module.