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1# npm - a JavaScript package manager
2
3[![npm version](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/npm.svg)](https://npm.im/npm)
4[![license](https://img.shields.io/npm/l/npm.svg)](https://npm.im/npm)
5[![CI - cli](https://github.com/npm/cli/actions/workflows/ci.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/npm/cli/actions/workflows/ci.yml)
6[![Benchmark Suite](https://github.com/npm/cli/actions/workflows/benchmark.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/npm/cli/actions/workflows/benchmark.yml)
7
8### Requirements
9
10One of the following versions of [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/download/) must be installed to run **`npm`**:
11
12* `14.x.x` >= `14.17.0`
13* `16.x.x` >= `16.13.0`
14* `18.0.0` or higher
15
16### Installation
17
18**`npm`** comes bundled with [**`node`**](https://nodejs.org/), & most third-party distributions, by default. Officially supported downloads/distributions can be found at: [nodejs.org/en/download](https://nodejs.org/en/download)
19
20#### Direct Download
21
22You can download & install **`npm`** directly from [**npmjs**.com](https://npmjs.com/) using our custom `install.sh` script:
23
24```bash
25curl -qL https://www.npmjs.com/install.sh | sh
26```
27
28#### Node Version Managers
29
30If you're looking to manage multiple versions of **`Node.js`** &/or **`npm`**, consider using a [node version manager](https://github.com/search?q=node+version+manager+archived%3Afalse&type=repositories&ref=advsearch)
31
32### Usage
33
34```bash
35npm <command>
36```
37
38### Links & Resources
39
40* [**Documentation**](https://docs.npmjs.com/) - Official docs & how-tos for all things **npm**
41    * Note: you can also search docs locally with `npm help-search <query>`
42* [**Bug Tracker**](https://github.com/npm/cli/issues) - Search or submit bugs against the CLI
43* [**Roadmap**](https://github.com/orgs/github/projects/4247/views/1?filterQuery=npm) - Track & follow along with our public roadmap
44* [**Feedback**](https://github.com/npm/feedback) - Contribute ideas & discussion around the npm registry, website & CLI
45* [**RFCs**](https://github.com/npm/rfcs) - Contribute ideas & specifications for the API/design of the npm CLI
46* [**Service Status**](https://status.npmjs.org/) - Monitor the current status & see incident reports for the website & registry
47* [**Project Status**](https://npm.github.io/statusboard/) - See the health of all our maintained OSS projects in one view
48* [**Events Calendar**](https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/embed?src=npmjs.com_oonluqt8oftrt0vmgrfbg6q6go@group.calendar.google.com) - Keep track of our Open RFC calls, releases, meetups, conferences & more
49* [**Support**](https://www.npmjs.com/support) - Experiencing problems with the **npm** [website](https://npmjs.com) or [registry](https://registry.npmjs.org)? File a ticket [here](https://www.npmjs.com/support)
50
51### Acknowledgments
52
53* `npm` is configured to use the **npm Public Registry** at [https://registry.npmjs.org](https://registry.npmjs.org) by default; Usage of this registry is subject to **Terms of Use** available at [https://npmjs.com/policies/terms](https://npmjs.com/policies/terms)
54* You can configure `npm` to use any other compatible registry you prefer. You can read more about configuring third-party registries [here](https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v7/using-npm/registry)
55
56### FAQ on Branding
57
58#### Is it "npm" or "NPM" or "Npm"?
59
60**`npm`** should never be capitalized unless it is being displayed in a location that is customarily all-capitals (ex. titles on `man` pages).
61
62#### Is "npm" an acronym for "Node Package Manager"?
63
64Contrary to popular belief, **`npm`** **is not** in fact an acronym for "Node Package Manager"; It is a recursive bacronymic abbreviation for **"npm is not an acronym"** (if the project was named "ninaa", then it would be an acronym). The precursor to **`npm`** was actually a bash utility named **"pm"**, which was the shortform name of **"pkgmakeinst"** - a bash function that installed various things on various platforms. If **`npm`** were to ever have been considered an acronym, it would be as "node pm" or, potentially "new pm".
65