I’ve been working on a Node.js project and installed several npm packages using npm install <package_name>. Now I have some packages that I’m not using anymore and want to clean them up.
I’m wondering about the best approach to remove these unwanted packages:
Is there a specific command to properly remove packages (like npm remove <package_name>) or can I just delete the package folders manually?
What happens if I leave these unused packages in my project? Does it cause any issues?
I want to make sure I’m doing this the right way without breaking anything in my project.
It’s crucial to use npm uninstall <package_name> instead of manually deleting folders in node_modules, as this ensures that your package.json stays accurate. I learned from experience that manual deletions can lead to chaotic dependency issues. Unused packages don’t directly break your project, but they can slow down installations and unnecessarily bloat your project. After uninstalling, I recommend running npm prune to get rid of any leftover references, keeping your project tidy and efficient.
It is advisable to utilize npm uninstall <package_name> instead of manually deleting folders, as this command ensures that both your package.json and package-lock.json files are accurately updated. I have encountered challenges with manual deletions in the past, which led to deployment issues when my production environment attempted to install packages that were still referenced in package.json but absent from node_modules. While unused packages do not directly break your project, they can contribute to increased bundle size when using tools like webpack and complicate dependency audits. Always adhere to the correct npm commands to prevent potential issues in the future.
yeah definitly dont delete stuff manually from node_modules - thats asking for trouble. npm uninstall is the way to go and it updates your package.json automatically. leaving unused packages isnt gonna break anything but why keep junk around? also check npm ls to see whats actually installed