What is package.json?
The package.json
file is the manifest file of your Node.js project.
It contains:
- Metadata about your project (name, version, description, author, etc.)
- Scripts you can run (like start, build, test)
- Dependencies and devDependencies, listed with version ranges (^, ~, etc.)
This file is created manually (via npm init
) and is meant to be human-readable and editable.
What is package-lock.json?
The package-lock.json
file is automatically generated when you run npm install.
It:
- Locks the exact versions of every dependency and sub-dependency
- Ensures consistent installs across different machines and environments
- Makes installation faster by skipping version resolution (since it’s already defined)
Feature | package.json |
package-lock.json |
---|---|---|
Purpose | Defines project metadata & dependencies | Locks exact versions for reproducible installs |
Created by | Developer (manual / npm init ) |
npm (auto-generated on install) |
Versioning | Version ranges allowed (^ , ~ ) |
Exact versions of all dependencies |
Human editable? | Yes | No (should not be manually edited) |
Consistency | Not guaranteed | Guaranteed same versions everywhere |
Install speed | Slower (needs to resolve versions) | Faster (uses already resolved versions) |
Commit to Git? | Yes (mandatory) | Yes (highly recommended) |
Why Both Files Are Important
-
package.json
provides flexibility: it allows updates to newer minor/patch versions of dependencies. -
package-lock.json
ensures stability: every developer and production environment installs exactly the same versions, avoiding “it works on my machine” problems.
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