npm-cache

library0.8.0jsnpmunverified

A command-line utility that caches dependencies installed via npm, bower, jspm, and composer to reduce build times. It works by hashing the configuration file (package.json, bower.json, etc.) and storing the resulting tarball in a local cache directory (~/.package_cache by default). On subsequent runs, it extracts the cached tarball instead of re-installing. The latest version is 0.8.0 (last updated in 2017), with no active development. It is a simple, pragmatic solution for CI environments that run installs repeatedly, but lacks tests and modern best practices.

devops

npm install npm-cache

github ↗package ↗homepage ↗

INSTALL

IMPORT

SIG · NPM-CACHE

npm-cache

devopsjavascriptv0.8.0

harness data pending

Install & Compatibility

Where this runs

No compatibility data collected yet for this library.

Code

Verified usage

Verified import paths — ran on the pinned version, not inferred.

npm-cache (CLI)

✓ npm install -g npm-cache && npm-cache install

✗ require('npm-cache')

This is a CLI tool, not a library. Do not attempt to import it programmatically.

Shows global installation and basic usage of npm-cache CLI to install and cache dependencies.

npm install -g npm-cache cd /path/to/project npm-cache install # On first run, installs dependencies and caches them. # On subsequent runs, restores from cache if configuration unchanged. npm-cache install --cacheDirectory /tmp/cache bower --allow-root npm-cache clean

Debug

Known issues

gotchaCache directory defaults to ~/.package_cache. Ensure it exists and is writable or use --cacheDirectory.

fix

Use --cacheDirectory /path/to/cache to specify a custom location.

affects: >=0.1.0

gotchaOnly caches dependencies after a successful install. If install fails, cache is not updated.

fix

Check that network and permissions are available on first run.

affects: >=0.1.0

gotchaNo support for lockfiles (package-lock.json, yarn.lock). Caching based solely on package.json may lead to inconsistencies.

fix

Use a more modern tool like npm ci with caching or a dedicated CI cache step.

affects: >=0.1.0

deprecatedThe package is not actively maintained. Last release in 2017. No updates for breaking changes in npm or other package managers.

fix

Consider alternatives like npm ci with --prefer-offline or CI-native caching.

affects: >=0.8.0

Errors

Common errors & fixes

Error: EACCES: permission denied, open '/home/user/.package_cache/...'

npm-cache cannot write to default cache directory due to permissions.

fix

Run with sudo or set --cacheDirectory to a user-writable location.

Cannot find module '...' after npm-cache install

Cache restored but lockfile or exact versions mismatch.

fix

Use --forceRefresh to force a fresh install without cache, or ensure package.json is stable.

Command failed: npm install

npm-cache does not handle npm errors gracefully; if npm install fails, cache is not populated.

fix

Check network connectivity and npm configuration, then retry.

Upgrade

Version history

0.8.0latest on npm

Audit

Dependencies

No dependency data recorded yet.

Agent activity

2 hits · last 30 days

node

Resources

githubgit://github.com/swarajban/npm-cache ↗

packagenpm-cache ↗

homepagehttps://github.com/swarajban/npm-cache ↗