How to view full npm command documentation?

Other Questions NPM
1

I’m having trouble getting detailed help for npm commands. When I try npm help [command], it just shows a list of related commands instead of the actual help page. For instance, running npm help prune gives me a bunch of matches, but doesn’t display the full documentation for the prune command.

Is there a different way to access the complete help text for specific npm commands? I want to see the full explanation, options, and usage examples for each command. Any tips on how to get this info would be great!

$ npm help install
Top matches:
1. npm-install
2. npm-ci
3. package-installation
...

# But I want to see the FULL help text!

How can I make npm show me the entire help documentation for a command?

2

hey surfingwave, try using ‘npm help-search [command]’ instead. it’ll give ya more detailed results. another trick is to check the npm docs online - they’ve got everything laid out nicely. if ur still stuck, lemme know and i can try to help more!

3

I’ve found that using ‘man npm-[command]’ in the terminal works wonders for accessing comprehensive npm documentation. This method displays the full manual page for the specified command, including all options, examples, and detailed explanations. For instance, ‘man npm-prune’ will show you everything you need to know about the prune command. Additionally, you can append ‘-l’ to the npm help command (e.g., ‘npm help -l prune’) to force it to display the full documentation in your default pager. These approaches should give you the in-depth information you’re looking for without having to leave your terminal.

4

Hey there! I’ve been using npm for a while now, and I’ve found a nifty trick that might help you out. Try running ‘npm help [command] -l’ in your terminal. The ‘-l’ flag forces npm to show the full documentation in your default pager. So for your example, you’d type ‘npm help prune -l’.

Another option that’s saved me countless times is the official npm docs website. Just Google ‘npm docs [command]’ and you’ll usually find a comprehensive guide with all the options and examples you need.

If you’re working offline or prefer command-line solutions, you can also try ‘npm help [command] | less’. This pipes the output through ‘less’, allowing you to scroll through the entire documentation easily.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you need any more info.