ln.1

.\" Generated with Ronnjs/v0.1
.\" http://github.com/kapouer/ronnjs/
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.TH "NPM\-LINK" "1" "April 2011" "" ""
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.SH "NAME"
\fBnpm-link\fR \-\- Symlink a package folder
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.SH "SYNOPSIS"
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.nf
npm link (in package folder)
npm link <pkgname>
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.fi
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.SH "DESCRIPTION"
Package linking is a two\-step process\.
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.P
First, \fBnpm link\fR in a package folder will create a globally\-installed
symbolic link from \fBprefix/package\-name\fR to the current folder\.
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.P
Next, in some other location, \fBnpm link package\-name\fR will create a
symlink from the local \fBnode_modules\fR folder to the global symlink\.
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.P
When creating tarballs for \fBnpm publish\fR, the linked packages are
"snapshotted" to their current state by resolving the symbolic links\.
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.P
This is
handy for installing your own stuff, so that you can work on it and test it
iteratively without having to continually rebuild\.
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.P
For example:
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.IP "" 4
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.nf
cd ~/projects/node\-redis    # go into the package directory
npm link                    # creates global link
cd ~/projects/node\-bloggy   # go into some other package directory\.
npm link redis              # link\-install the package
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.fi
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.IP "" 0
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.P
Now, any changes to ~/projects/node\-redis will be reflected in
~/projects/node\-bloggy/node_modules/redis/
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.P
You may also shortcut the two steps in one\.  For example, to do the
above use\-case in a shorter way:
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.IP "" 4
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.nf
cd ~/projects/node\-bloggy  # go into the dir of your main project
npm link \.\./node\-redis     # link the dir of your dependency
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.fi
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.IP "" 0
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.P
The second line is the equivalent of doing:
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.IP "" 4
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.nf
(cd \.\./node\-redis; npm link)
npm link redis
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.fi
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.IP "" 0
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.P
That is, it first creates a global link, and then links the global
installation target into your project\'s \fBnode_modules\fR folder\.