How to Install npm Command on Ubuntu

If you are getting an error saying npm: command not found on your Ubuntu system, it means that the Node Package Manager (npm) is not installed or configured properly. npm is a package manager for the JavaScript programming language and is commonly used to install and manage dependencies for Node.js projects.

To install npm on Ubuntu, follow these steps:

1. Update apt package index: Before installing npm, it’s a good practice to update the apt package index to ensure you have the latest package information. Run the following command in your terminal:

sudo apt update

2. Install Node.js and npm: npm is distributed with Node.js, so you need to install Node.js to get npm. Run the following command to install Node.js and npm:

sudo apt install nodejs

3. Verify npm installation: After the installation is complete, you can verify that npm is installed by checking its version. Run the following command:

npm --version

If you encounter any errors or if the commands are not compatible with your Ubuntu system, you can follow these alternative steps:

• Use Node Version Manager (NVM): If the apt package manager is not suitable for your Ubuntu system, you can use NVM to install Node.js and npm. Refer to the official NVM documentation for installation instructions.

• Manually Install npm: If you prefer a manual installation, you can download the Node.js source code from the official website and build npm from source. This method gives you more control over the installation process.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you learned how to install the npm command on Ubuntu to manage packages for Node.js projects. By following the steps outlined above, you should now have npm installed and ready to use on your Ubuntu system.