node.js - How do I uninstall a package installed using npm link?

Question

When installing a node package using sudo npm link in the package's directory, how can I uninstall the package once I'm done with development?

npm link installs the package as a symbolic link in the system's global package location ('/usr/local/lib`). This allows you to test the package while still developing it, without having to install it over and over again.

Which npm command do I need to run to remove the link again?

Answer 1

The package can be uninstalled using the same uninstall or rm command that can be used for removing installed packages. The only thing to keep in mind is that the link needs to be uninstalled globally - the --global flag needs to be provided.

In order to uninstall the globally linked foo package, the following command can be used (using sudo if necessary, depending on your setup and permissions)

sudo npm rm --global foo

This will uninstall the package.

To check whether a package is installed, the npm ls command can be used:

npm ls --global foo