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Publishing NestJS Packages with npm

John Biundo on August 19, 2019

John is a member of the NestJS core team, primarily contributing to the documentation. This is the first in a multi-part series on building re-usa...

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Mário Monteiro • Sep 8 '19

Another great post @john
Thanks

Can I use this technique to create a a shared module package.
I have a Lerna monorepo project with two implementations one rest and one graphql, and I really want to create a common shared package, for example to Share the auth module in both rest and graphql packages. Can I extract the auth and users modules (same as nestjs docs) into a package(local ir registery), and reuse it in this two packages, and maybe other new projects?

Or is a better way to share common packages in nestjs to not Dry and duplicate same code?

Thanks

John Biundo • Sep 8 '19

Hi, I think you just posted this question on the discord channel? Here's what I wrote there:

I assume you want to keep the packages private, so I think you have a couple of options. One is to use a private npm registry -- either with a paid account at npmjs.com, or hosting one locally (I have experimented with Verdaccio, and it seems excellent, though I've only just played around with it). Another is to consider a monorepo. I candidly don't have any experience with a monorepo, but a lot of folks on here do actively use one, so I'm sure one or more will chime in if you want to go that route. Good luck!

Hopefully some of the other community members will chime in with thoughts.

Mário Monteiro • Sep 8 '19

Thanks @john

I already use monorepo and Verdaccio.
But the question os not related with publish. I try to ask about extract auth and users modules to a new package to share in my 2 projects. Ex I want to create for ex a package like @acme/nestjs-auth and re,-use it, that why I ask it. Sorry if I cant explain better, you already note that I have some issues with English eheheh

Thanks

John Biundo • Sep 8 '19

No worries @Mário.

So I may not be understanding, but it seems like you're asking about re-using a package in another project. To me, that sounds exactly like what I was addressing. So, you would npm publish @acme/nestjs-auth (if you want it public, that's exactly the recipe outlined in this article; if you want it private, I addressed that above), then, in project A, you'd npm install @acme/nestjs-auth and inside your project a, import { blah } from @acme/nestjs-auth. You could do the same inside project b.

If you just mean sharing a module within a project, that is a separate topic, and is about the Nest module system.

I hope that clarifies somewhat. Ask further if I'm missing the point!

Mário Monteiro • Sep 9 '19 • Edited

Thanks John,
Yes Im asking about sharing a module within a project

@rubin sent me a GitHub link in discord that seems will Help me with issue. Thanks John for your paciente and kind answear :)

Looking forward for next great nestjs posts.

Samuel • Jan 17 '20

Hi Mário, how are you doing?

I need to do exactly what you asked for, how did you dealed with the problem?

Thank you.

Mário Monteiro • Jan 17 '20

Hello Samuel

I don't remember, I must check my project, but the of out friend @rubin put me in the right track.

When I get to home I Will check it....

O see that @rubin repo link os not on this thread, I paste it later

solidarynetwork • Jan 18 '20

Hello Samuel

here are my notes
includes the link to repo that I follow to get it working from our friend @rubiin

I hope this helps :)

NOTES

Tooling

NPM Install Peers

CLI command to install npm peerDependencies. This can be useful when developing modules.

$ sudo npm install -g npm-install-peers
$ npm-install-peers

Publish

# build
$ npm run build
# publish
$ npm publish
# unPublish
# https://docs.npmjs.com/unpublishing-packages-from-the-registry  
# npm unpublish <package-name>@<version>
$ npm unpublish @koakh/nestjs-auth-quick-config@1.2.2

Us in NestJs from file system, ideal for developing

# create symbolic link
$ cd NodeNestJsHyperLedgerConvectorRestStarter/node_modules/@koakh
$ ln -s ../../../../../Node/@NestPackages/@koakh/nestjs-auth-quick-config/

After changes don't forget to npm run build

Use in NestJs lerna project from NPM registry

# install dependency
$ npx lerna add @koakh/nestjs-auth-quick-config --scope @convector-sample/server-graphql
$ npx lerna clean
$ npx lerna bootstrap

Install in App

app.module.ts

ex from graphql project

import { AuthQuickConfigModule } from '@koakh/nestjs-auth-quick-config';

@Module({
  imports: [
    RecipesModule,
    PersonModule,
    ParticipantModule,
    GraphQLModule.forRoot({
      installSubscriptionHandlers: true,
      autoSchemaFile: 'schema.gql',
    }),
    AuthQuickConfigModule.register({
      jwtSecret: 'secretKey',
      jwtExpiresIn: '1h',
      getByUsername: (username: string) => 'admin',
    }),
  ],
})

unicop • Jun 19 '21

@john Biundo

For who prefer to use yarn, it will help if you will add yarn add link:../ for creating the symlink for the auto refresh.
run on the package tsc -w will make it more easy for development to do changes in the package and auto-refresh the server automatically.

Maroje Macola • Jul 13 '21

@unicop thanks for the tip when using yarn :)

In my case, to make it work, I had to add symlink to the package itself, not the root folder in which reside both nestjs app & package (i.e. I executed yarn add link:../nestjs-package-starter)

JORGE GUTIERREZ • May 13 '20 • Edited

Hello first great the article just a question after following the steps install @ nestjs / swagger, but it gives me an error when I build node_modules/@nestjs/common/cache/interceptors/cache.interceptor.d.ts:1:28 - error TS2307: Cannot find module 'rxjs'.

JORGE GUTIERREZ • May 13 '20

ERROR

Alex Martins • Sep 11 '23

Hi guys,
First, congratulations on the excellent post.
What is the best way to create a nest model as an npm package that needs to receive some repository reference to save and get data from the database?

Have I to inject the Prisma reference? - In this case, I think I'll have migrations issues.
Or should I work just with DTO and save on the main App?
or there's a better way?

Thanks

Daniel Stefanelli • Feb 14 '21

Hi @johnbiundo ,

Great post.

I implemented something similar what you explain in this post but I notice that I can't navigate between classes imported from another package in my IDE. Maybe Is there something I'm missing?

Ruslan Gonzalez • Aug 25 '19

Amazing! Outstanding lecture!

John Biundo • Aug 26 '19

Thanks Ruslán González. Glad you found it useful!

Ruslan Gonzalez • Sep 8 '19

I am reading again this post because I love it... !!!

Will Chantry • Apr 5 '20

Great post! Looking forward to mixing this up with a lerna monorepo. I have a specific desire to make a mixed cli and app tool and I want to share my database module/service in a non nestjs and nest environment and this will help a lot getting started. (I want to make the scripts very light and only have them install required dependencies so I don't think the nestjs monorepo atrategy will work for me).

Carlos Caballero • Aug 19 '19

Hey!

Thanks for your post!

Zach • May 1 '21

Thanks for sharing. Mind I ask if there is way to publish single library generated by nest generate library? or What's the best way to sharing modules between different nestjs project?