how to execute node package clis

In node projects, many times a package will have its own CLI. React, Storybook, Typescript and Gatsby all have their own for example.

How do we actually use those CLIs within a project? This is one of those topics that I don’t normally think about because it’s usually handled by the base case.

Well, there are a few different ways:

1. Using scripts (base case)
2. Using global packages
3. Ad hoc references

Below, I’ll walk through all of these using Gatsby as an example.

Using A Script

The most common solution I’ve found, particularly for commands used frequently within a project is to add a script in the package.json.

For example, my Gatsby starter came with a dev and build script included:

{
  "scripts": {
    "build": "gatsby build",
    "dev": "gatsby develop"
  }
}

But what if you want to build and then serve the site? You can add another line to the scripts:

{
  "scripts": {
    "build": "gatsby build",
    "dev": "gatsby develop",
    "serve": "gatsby serve"
  }
}

This works well, but it can also lead to a ballooning of scripts which might become unweildly over time.

Global Packages

Another approach is to install the package globally and then use that to run your more ad hoc scripts.

For example:

$ npm install --global gatsby
$ pwd
Users/stephen/my-gatsby-project
$ gatsby serve

Ad Hoc References

I’ve been having issues with globally installed packages lately, however, so I tend to avoid them.

Fortunately, it’s possible to run the command without installing a package globally by reaching into your node_modules folder (just like the script is doing):

$ pwd
Users/stephen/my-gatsby-project
$ ./node_modules/.bin/gatsby serve

The other benefit here is that you never run itno the situation where your globally installed package is a different version from the local one!

Conclusion

In most cases, using a script is a great solution. When you want a quick ad hoc script and don’t want to install the package globally though, knowing how to reach into your node_modules folder can be really useful!

Happy hacking!