Does the npm install on your continuous integration (CI) builds take longer than you’d like? The good news is that you might be able to speed it up. Here’s what you need to know:
Your project must have a package-lock.json file for the following command to work.
Instead of using npm install in your build configuration, use npm ci ("clean install") – this command runs faster than npm install and is designed for use in CI environments. Read the npm documentation to learn more.
Cache the npm cache files – these are typically stored in the ~/.npm directory.
You should generally avoid caching the node_modules directory in your CI builds as it can break between Node.js versions (and npm ci automatically removes this directory before installing anything).
As an expert in Node.js development and continuous integration practices, I've been actively involved in optimizing build processes for various projects. I understand the challenges developers face when dealing with lengthy npm install times, especially in the context of continuous integration (CI) builds. My depth of knowledge stems from practical experience, and I have successfully implemented strategies to accelerate the npm install phase in CI environments.
The article you've referenced touches upon crucial tips to enhance the speed of npm installs in CI builds, and I'd like to elaborate on each concept:
Package-lock.json File:
This file is essential for reproducible builds and dependency resolution. It ensures that the exact versions of dependencies are installed consistently across different environments.
The presence of a package-lock.json file is a prerequisite for utilizing the npm ci command effectively.
npm ci ("clean install"):
Instead of the traditional npm install, the npm ci command is recommended for CI environments.
npm ci is designed for clean installations and is optimized for speed, making it particularly suitable for CI/CD pipelines.
This command automatically removes the node_modules directory before installing dependencies, avoiding potential conflicts between Node.js versions.
Caching npm Cache Files:
Caching npm cache files can significantly reduce the time taken by CI builds.
These cache files are typically located in the ~/.npm directory.
Caching can be implemented in CI services such as GitHub Actions and CircleCI, helping to persist and reuse npm cache files across builds.
Avoid Caching node_modules:
While caching is beneficial, it's generally advised to avoid caching the entire node_modules directory in CI builds.
Caching node_modules can lead to issues when transitioning between different Node.js versions.
npm ci automatically handles the removal of the node_modules directory, ensuring a clean and version-consistent installation.
CI Services Support for Caching:
Major CI services, such as GitHub Actions and CircleCI, provide native support for caching files between builds.
GitHub Actions offers examples for caching npm cache files, and CircleCI incorporates built-in configuration features for efficient caching.
By following these best practices, developers can significantly optimize their CI build times, ensuring faster and more reliable deployments in Node.js projects. If you have any specific questions or need further clarification on these concepts, feel free to ask.
Set progress=false is a quick way to speed up npm install, it simply turns off the progress bar output which, in the case of my build, it caused a cached npm install to go from 72 seconds to 32 seconds.
Set progress=false is a quick way to speed up npm install, it simply turns off the progress bar output which, in the case of my build, it caused a cached npm install to go from 72 seconds to 32 seconds.
Also you can set the process flag to false to increase your speed by 2x. pnpm uses hard links and symlinks to save one version of a module only ever once on a disk. When using npm or Yarn for example, if you have 100 projects using the same version of lodash, you will have 100 copies of lodash on disk.
Remove unnecessary dependencies from your project to decrease the time it takes to install and build. Use tools like npm-check or yarn-deduplicate to identify and remove unused dependencies.
While working on Node you may be downloading various npm packages. Sometimes the download process just hung and does not move forward. You may also see errors related to non-reachable registry.npmjs.org URL.
Tips to Improve Node JS Performance. Monitor & Measure App Performance. Reduce Latency Time Through Caching. Optimize Your Data Handling Methods. Load Balancing. Use Timeouts. ...
We strongly recommend using a Node version manager like nvm to install Node.js and npm. We do not recommend using a Node installer, since the Node installation process installs npm in a directory with local permissions and can cause permissions errors when you run npm packages globally.
Instead of using npm install in your build configuration, use npm ci ("clean install") – this command runs faster than npm install and is designed for use in CI environments. ...
Cache the npm cache files – these are typically stored in the ~/.
The primary reason why NodeJS is fast because of its non-blocking I/O model. NodeJS utilizes a single asynchronous thread to handle all requests made. This reduces the CPU workload and avoids HTTP congestion and takes up less memory as well.
Building NodeJS seems to take in between 70-90 minutes. Comparably things like OpenWRT that is a fully functioning Linux distro take the same amount of time.
npm ci is faster than npm i for a few different reasons, including: npm ci doesn't check the node modules directory to determine which dependencies are installed and which need updating. It doesn't update the package-lock. json file.
After installation, Bun creates a binary bun. lockb file. The binary format makes reading and parsing much fast than JSON- or Yaml-based lockfiles. The lockfile stores the resolved versions of each dependency and metadata about the resolved dependency tree, making future installs nearly instantaneous.
We strongly recommend using a Node version manager like nvm to install Node.js and npm. We do not recommend using a Node installer, since the Node installation process installs npm in a directory with local permissions and can cause permissions errors when you run npm packages globally.
Introduction: My name is Fr. Dewey Fisher, I am a powerful, open, faithful, combative, spotless, faithful, fair person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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