Using npm to install or update required packages just like bundler for rubygems

Question

I love Bundler, it\'s great at dependency management. I love npm, installing node packages is easy! I have a nodejs app and would love to be able to specify my apps de

Answer 1

Edit: This only applies to npm versions < 1.0

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It was quite difficult to figure this out, but NPM makes this possible.

You need three components

1. A subdirectory in your repository (i.e. deps/)
2. A package.json file in the above directory that lists dependencies
3. An index.js file in the above directory that requires your dependencies

Example

Imagine that express is your only dependency

deps/package.json

note: Increment the version # each time you modify the dependencies

{
  "name": "myapp_dependencies",
  "version": "0.0.1",
  "engines": {
    "node": "0.4.1"
  },
  "dependencies":{
    "express": "2.0.0beta2"
  }
}

deps/index.js

export.modules = {
  express: require('express')
  //add more
}

Now you should be able to install your dependencies using npm. You could even make this part of your deployment process

cd deps
npm install

Then within your app code you can get access to your specific version of express like this:

var express = require('myapp_dependencies').express;