How to search for packages with NPM

When working on a project, you may need to use additional libraries or modules to add specific functionalities.

NPM offers a way to search for and filter packages according to your needs. This allows you to quickly find the right packages for your projects.

I’ll also tell you that it’s not something I use frequently. Usually, you add the dependency because you know what it is, or because you found it on the Internet. Not because you found it in the NPM listing. 🤷‍♀️

In any case, it is possible to do so. But always remember to review the documentation of the packages before using them in your project, and make sure they are maintained and updated regularly.

Package search

To search for packages in the NPM registry, you can use the npm search command. For example, if you’re looking for a package related to date manipulation, you can run the following command:

npm search date

This will display a list of packages related to the keyword “date”. You can examine each result and decide which one best fits your needs.

Package filtering

In addition to general search, NPM also offers filtering options to help you find more specific packages. You can use the npm search command along with options like --author, --maintainer or --keywords to filter the results.

For example, if you want to find packages related to date manipulation created by a specific author, you can run the following command:

npm search typescript --author "microsoft"

Or that contain a specific keyword

npm search --keywords "sql"