npm, pnpm, and Yarn

IntelliJ IDEA integrates with the npm, pnpm, Yarn, Yarn 2, and Yarn 3, so you can install, locate, update, and remove packages of reusable code from inside the IDE, in the built-in Terminal.

IntelliJ IDEA also lets you run and debug npm, Yarn, and pnpm scripts. IntelliJ IDEA parses package.json files, recognizing definitions of scripts, shows scripts in a tree view, and lets you navigate between a script in the tree and its definition in the package.json file. See npm, Yarn, and pnpm official web sites for details.

IntelliJ IDEA detects projects with Yarn workspaces and indexes all the dependencies that are listed in the package.json files of the workspaces but are located in the root node_modules folder.

Before you start

Download and install Node.js. Note that npm is also installed, so if you are going to use it, you are through with the preliminary steps.
To use Yarn, install it as described on the Yarn official website.
To use pnpm, open the embedded Terminal (Alt+F12) and type:
npm install --g pnpm
Learn more from the pnpm official website.

Choose a project package manager

With IntelliJ IDEA, you can choose whether to use npm, Yarn, Yarn 2, or pnpm in a project.

By default, IntelliJ IDEA suggests npm. However if you open a project with a yarn.lock file and Yarn is installed on your computer, IntelliJ IDEA automatically changes the package manager for this project to Yarn.

Accordingly, if you open a project with a pnpm-lock file and pnpm is installed on your computer, IntelliJ IDEA automatically changes the package manager for this project to pnpm.

You can also set Yarn 1 or pnpm as default IntelliJ IDEA package manager.

In the Settings dialog (Control+Alt+S), go to Languages & Frameworks | Node.js. The Node.js page opens.
In the Package manager field, specify the package manager for your project.
- Select npm, yarn, or pnpm to use the system default installation.
  IntelliJ IDEA uses the npm, yarn, and pnpm aliases for the current system paths to these managers. If you choose another Node.js version, IntelliJ IDEA also changes the npm aliased path to point to the npm version bundled with the selected Node.js version.
- To use a custom installation of a package manager, click Select, and select the installation folder of the relevant package manager.
IntelliJ IDEA automatically uses the chosen package manager when you select the Project alias from the Package manager list in the Run/Debug Configuration: NPM dialog. IntelliJ IDEA also uses the path to the chosen package manager every time you invoke the Run 'npm install'/Run 'yarn install'/Run 'pnpm install' command or run an npm/Yarn/pnpm script, see Running and debugging scripts for details.

Set up Yarn 2 in your project

Make sure you have Yarn 1 installed globally and enable Yarn 2 in your project as described on the Yarn official website. Use the embedded Terminal Alt+F12 to type the commands.
In the Settings dialog (Control+Alt+S), go to Languages & Frameworks | Node.js and select the path to the Yarn 2 package in your project from the Package manager list.

Set Yarn 1 or pnpm as the default IntelliJ IDEA package manager

Open the Settings for New Projects dialog (File | New Projects Setup | Settings for New Projects) and go to Languages & Frameworks | Node.js.
On the Node.js and NPM page that opens, select yarn or pnpm from the Package manager list.

After that, IntelliJ IDEA will suggest the selected package manager (Yarn or pnpm) as default every time you create a new project.

Edit package.json

IntelliJ IDEA helps you handle your project dependencies in package.json files providing extensive coding assistance.

Code completion for package names.
Information on the latest available package version.
Information about the range of versions that can be installed through npm install <package>@<version> or yarn add <package>@<version>. `Note that running npm install or yarn install will install the latest available version from this range.
Press Control and hover over the version to see the information in a tooltip. See the npm Official documentation for details about semantic versioning.
Code completion for previous package versions. When you press Control+Space or start typing a version different from the latest one, IntelliJ IDEA displays a suggestion list with all the previous versions of the package.
Quick documentation look-up for packages.
IntelliJ IDEA also shows readme files for npm packages when you invoke documentation look-up from require or import statements.

Install and update packages

As you may know, npm can install packages both globally or as project dependencies or development dependencies, learn more from the npm official website.

pnpm also installs packages globally or as project dependencies or development dependencies, learn more from the pnpm official website.

With Yarn, you can install packages globally or as project dependencies, see Yarn official website for details.

In IntelliJ IDEA, packages can be installed in the editor, from a package.json file, in the built-in Terminal Alt+F12, or on the Node.js page.

From package.json

Install your project dependencies

Click the Run 'npm install', Run 'yarn install', or Run 'pnpm install' link in the popup:
IntelliJ IDEA shows this popup when the dependencies are not installed yet or when they have changed. If you close the popup or turn it off by choosing Don't ask again, you can still install the dependencies using the Run '<package_manager> install' action or in the built-in terminal.
If you have accidentally dismissed this notification and now want to get it back, press Control+Shift+A, start typing Enable notifications, and select Enable Notifications about Installing Dependencies from package.json from the list.
Alternatively, open the relevant package.json file in the editor or select it in the Project tool window and choose Run 'npm install' from the context menu.

Update your project dependencies

Click Run '<package manager> install' in the popup.
IntelliJ IDEA shows this popup every time you open a project, update it from the version control, or edit a package.json.
IntelliJ IDEA also runs an inspection that checks whether the packages from dependencies or devDependencies are installed and their versions match the specified range. If the inspection detects any mismatch, it suggests a quick-fix. To apply it, click the Run '<package manager> install' link.
IntelliJ IDEA also detects packages for which later versions are available and provides a quick-fix when you hover over the package version.
Alternatively, press Alt+Enter and select Update <package> to the latest version from the list:

In the built-in Terminal

In the embedded Terminal (Alt+F12) , type one of the following commands:

For global installation:
- npm install --global <package_name>
- yarn global add <package_name>
- pnpm --global add <package_name>
To install a package as a project dependency or a development dependency:
- npm install --save <package_name> or npm install --save-dev <package_name>
- yarn add <package_name> --dev
- pnpm add --save-dev <package_name>

Install all dependencies listed in a package.json file

In the embedded Terminal (Alt+F12) , type one of the following commands:

npm install
yarn install
pnpm install

As a result you get all the dependencies listed in the package.json from the current folder. Learn more from Editing package.json.

Detect vulnerable packages

IntelliJ IDEA detects vulnerabilities in the packages used in your projects by checking across the Checkmarx SCA Database and the National Vulnerability Database. Vulnerability check is handled by Security code inspections.

As you write your code, the IDE highlights packages that are considered vulnerable, provides descriptions for them, and suggests fixes where available.

Detect vulnerable packages and fix them in the editor

In the Problems tool window, you can view a list of detected vulnerable packages from the currently open package.json file.

To solve package vulnerability problems in the editor, hover the mouse over the highlighted package in a package.json file. The popup tool window shows a description of the detected vulnerability.
To apply a quick-fix, click More actions Alt+Enter and select the relevant suggestion.
To view vulnerable packages in the Problems tool window, click in the inspection widget. The File tab of the Problems tool window lists all the vulnerable packages that are detected in the current file. Each item is supplied with a description.
To solve a problem, select the vulnerable package in the list, click on the toolbar or press Alt+Enter, and then select the relevant suggestion.
Learn more from Get results and fix problems.
By default, package vulnerability check is enabled. To turn it off, open the Settings dialog (Control+Alt+S), go to Editor | Inspection, and clear the checkboxes next to the relevant inspections under the Security node.

Run and debug scripts

You can launch npm, Yarn, or pnpm scripts from a package.json file in the editor, from a tree of scripts in the dedicated npm tool window, according to a dedicated run configuration, or automatically, as a start-up or a before-launch task.

The results of script execution are displayed in the Run tool window. The tool window shows the npm or Yarn script output, reports the errors occurred, lists the packages or plugins that have not been found, etc. The name of the last executed script is displayed on the title bar of the tool window.

If you launch a script debugging session, IntelliJ IDEA opens the Debug tool window.

During a script debugging session, you can step through the script, stop and resume the script execution, examine it when suspended, run JavaScript code snippets in the Debugger Console, and so on.

Run and debug scripts from package.json

IntelliJ IDEA lets you quickly launch single scripts from package.json files. To run or debug several scripts, use a run configuration or the npm tool window.

Open the package.json file in the editor, click in the gutter next to the script, and choose Run <script_name> or Debug <script_name> from the context menu.
You can also run a script by pressing Control+Shift+F10.

The script output is shown in the Run tool window.

If you launch a script in the debug mode, IntelliJ IDEA opens the Debug tool window, where you can step through the script, stop and resume the script execution, examine it when suspended, run JavaScript code snippets in the Debugger Console, and so on.

Run and debug scripts from the npm tool window

The npm tool window opens when you select a package.json file in the Project tool window or open it in the editor and select Show npm Scripts from the context menu.

As soon as you invoke npm, pnpm, or Yarn, the tool starts building a tree of scripts defined within the scripts property of the package.json file on which it was invoked.

If you have several package.json files in your project, you can build a separate script tree for each of them and run scripts without dropping the previously built trees. Each tree is shown under a separate node.

Open the npm tool window if it is not opened yet

Select the required file in the Project tool window or open it in the editor and choose Show npm Scripts from the context menu.
The npm tool window opens showing the scripts tree built according to the selected or opened package.json file.

Build a tree of scripts in an already opened npm tool window

In the npm tool window, click on the toolbar and choose the required package.json file from the list. By default, IntelliJ IDEA shows the package.json file in the root of your project.
If you have another package.json file, click Choose package.json and select the package.json file you need in the dialog that opens. IntelliJ IDEA adds a new node with the path to the chosen package.json file on its title and builds a scripts tree under the new node.

Re-build a tree

Switch to the required node and click on the toolbar.

Sort the scripts in a tree by their names

Click on the toolbar, choose Sort by from the menu, and then choose Name.
By default, a tree shows the scripts in the order in which they are defined in package.json (option Definition order).

Run one script

Double-click the script.
Select the script in the tree and press Enter or choose Run <script name> from the context menu.

Debug one script

Select the script in the tree and choose Debug <script_name> from the context menu.
IntelliJ IDEA opens the Debug tool window where you can step through the script, stop and resume the script execution, examine it when suspended, run JavaScript code snippets in the Debugger Console, and so on.

Run or debug several scripts

Use the multiselect mode: hold Shift (for adjacent items) or Control (for non-adjacent items) keys and select the required scripts, then choose Run or Debug from the context menu of the selection.

Run and debug scripts by a run configuration

When you run or debug scripts from the editor or from the npm tool window, IntelliJ IDEA automatically creates temporary run configurations. Besides using them, you can create and launch your own npm run configurations.

Create an NPM run/debug configuration

From the main menu, select Run | Edit Configurations. Alternatively, select Edit Configurations from the list on the toolbar.
In the Edit Configurations dialog that opens, click the Add button () on the toolbar and select npm from the list. The Run/Debug Configuration: npm dialog opens.
Specify the CLI command to execute, the scripts to run (use blank spaces as separators), and the location of the package.json file where these scripts are defined. Optionally, type the command-line arguments for executing the scripts.
Specify the Node.js interpreter to use.
If you choose the Project alias, IntelliJ IDEA will automatically use the project default interpreter from the Node interpreter field on the Node.js page . In most cases, IntelliJ IDEA detects the project default interpreter and fills in the field itself.
You can also choose another configured local or remote interpreter or click and configure a new one.
Optionally specify the Node.js-specific option parameters and the environment variables to be passed to Node.js.
Specify the package manager to use. If you choose the Project alias, IntelliJ IDEA will use the default project package manager from the Node.js page. You can also choose the relevant package alias (npm or yarn) or specify an explicit path to a custom installation of a package manager.
If you are using a remote Node.js interpreter in a Docker container, check the port and volume bindings values in the Docker container settings field.
Learn more from npm, pnpm, and yarn with Docker and Configuring remote Node .js interpreters.

Run and debug your scripts

Select the newly created run configuration from the list on the toolbar and then click or next to the list.
The results of script execution are displayed in the Run tool window.
If you click , IntelliJ IDEA opens the Debug tool window, where you can step through the script, stop and resume the script execution, examine it when suspended, run JavaScript code snippets in the Debugger Console, and so on.

Run scripts with Run Anything

Run Anything is a quick way to start scripts.

Press Control twice or click on the Navigation bar. The Run Anything popup opens.
Type npm run or yarn run in the search field. As you type, IntelliJ IDEA shows the matching scripts. Select the required one from the list and press Enter.
To view the command output in the Run tool window, press Control+Enter, to show the output in the Debug tool window, press Shift+Enter.

Run scripts automatically on start-up

If you have some scripts that you run on a regular basis, you can add the corresponding run configurations to a list of startup tasks. The tasks will be executed automatically on the project start-up.

In the Settings dialog (Control+Alt+S), go to Tools | Startup Tasks.
On the Startup Tasks page that opens, click on the toolbar.
From the list, choose the required npm run configuration. The configuration is added to the list.
If no applicable configuration is available in the project, click and choose Edit Configurations. Then define a configuration with the required settings on the Run/Debug configuration page that opens. When you save the new configuration it is automatically added to the list of startup tasks.

Run scripts as before-launch tasks

Open the Run/debug configurations dialog dialog by choosing Run | Edit Configurations from the main menu, and select the required configuration from the list or create it anew by clicking and choosing the relevant run configuration type.
In the dialog that opens, click in the Before launch area and choose Run npm script from the list.
In the NPM Script dialog that opens, specify the npm run/debug configuration settings.

npm, pnpm, and yarn in Docker

With IntelliJ IDEA, you can edit package.json, install, update, and remove dependencies of a project in a Docker container just in the same way as you do it locally.

Install and enable the Node.js Remote Interpreter plugin on the Settings | Plugins page, tab Marketplace, as described in Installing plugins from JetBrains repository.
Make sure the Node.js and Docker required plugins are enabled on the Settings | Plugins page, tab Installed, see Managing plugins for details.
Download, install, and configure Docker as described in Docker
Configure a Node.js remote interpreter in Docker or via Docker Compose and set it as default in your project. Also make sure the package manager associated with this remote interpreter is set as project default.
Proceed as with local development: edit your package.json, manage you project dependencies, and run or debug scripts.

Last modified: 21 June 2023