npm install doesn't create node_modules directory

Question

I am trying to do a homework for a mongodb uni course. They gave us some files, instructions are:

run npm install mongodb then node app.js<

Answer 1

For node_modules you have to follow the below steps

1) In Command prompt -> Goto your project directory.

2) Command :npm init

3) It asks you to set up your package.json file

4) Command: npm install or npm update

Answer 2

As soon as you have run npm init and you start installing npm packages it'll create the node_moduals folder after that first install

e.g

npm init

(Asks you to set up your package.json file)

npm install <package name here> --save-dev

installs package & creates the node modules directory