Run/Debug Configuration: NPM
In this dialog, create configurations for running npm and Yarn scripts locally. "Locally" in the current context means that IntelliJ IDEA itself starts Node.js installed on your computer, whereupon initiates script execution.
Learn more from npm, pnpm, and Yarn.
Before you start
Download and install Node.js. Note that npm is also installed so if you are going to use it you are through with the preliminary steps.
To use Yarn, install it as described on the Yarn official website.
Configuration tab
Item | Description |
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package.json | In this field, specify the package.json file to run the scripts from. Choose the file from the drop-down list which shows all the package.json files detected in the current project or click and choose the required package.json in the dialog box that opens. |
Command | From this list, choose the npm CLI command to execute, by default |
Scripts | From this drop-down list, choose the script to which the chosen command will be applied. The list contains all the scripts defined within the |
Arguments | In this field, specify the command-line arguments to execute a script with. Learn more from the npm official website. |
Node interpreter | In this field, specify the Node.js interpreter to use. This can be a local Node.js interpreter or a Node.js on Windows Subsystem for Linux. |
Node Options | In this text box, type the Node.js-specific command-line options to be passed to the Node.js executable file. The acceptable options are:
|
Package manager | In this field. specify the package manager to use. If you choose the |
Environment Variables | In this field, specify the environment variables for the Node.js executable file, if applicable. Click Browse to the right of the field and configure a list of variables in the Environment Variables dialog, that opens:
The definitions of variables are displayed in the Environment variables read-only field with semicolons as separators, for example:
|
Common settings
When you edit a run configuration (but not a run configuration template), you can specify the following options:
Item | Description |
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Name | Specify a name for the run/debug configuration to quickly identify it when editing or running the configuration, for example, from the Run popup Alt+Shift+F10. |
Allow parallel run | Select to allow running multiple instances of this run configuration in parallel. By default, it is disabled, and when you start this configuration while another instance is still running, IntelliJ IDEA suggests to stop the running instance and start another one. This is helpful when a run/debug configuration consumes a lot of resources and there is no good reason to run multiple instances. |
Store as project file | Save the file with the run configuration settings to share it with other team members. The default location is .idea/runConfigurations. However, if you do not want to share the .idea directory, you can save the configuration to any other directory within the project. By default, it is disabled, and IntelliJ IDEA stores run configuration settings in .idea/workspace.xml. |
Toolbar
The tree view of run/debug configurations has a toolbar that helps you manage configurations available in your project as well as adjust default configurations templates.
Item | Shortcut | Description |
---|---|---|
Alt+Insert | Create a run/debug configuration. | |
Alt+Delete | Delete the selected run/debug configuration. Note that you cannot delete default configurations. | |
Ctrl+D | Create a copy of the selected run/debug configuration. Note that you create copies of default configurations. | |
The button is displayed only when you select a temporary configuration. Click this button to save a temporary configuration as permanent. | ||
Move into new folder / Create new folder. You can group run/debug configurations by placing them into folders. To create a folder, select the configurations within a category, click , and specify the folder name. If only a category is in focus, an empty folder is created. Then, to move a configuration into a folder, between the folders or out of a folder, use drag or and buttons. To remove grouping, select a folder and click . | ||
Click this button to sort configurations in the alphabetical order. |
Before launch
In this area, you can specify tasks to be performed before starting the selected run/debug configuration. The tasks are performed in the order they appear in the list.
Item | Shortcut | Description |
---|---|---|
Alt+Insert | Click this icon to add one of the following available tasks:
| |
Alt+Delete | Click this icon to remove the selected task from the list. | |
Enter | Click this icon to edit the selected task. Make the necessary changes in the dialog that opens. | |
/ | Alt+Up/Alt+Down | Click these icons to move the selected task one line up or down in the list. The tasks are performed in the order that they appear in the list. |
Show this page | Select this checkbox to show the run/debug configuration settings prior to actually starting the run/debug configuration. | |
Activate tool window | By default this checkbox is selected and the Run or the Debug tool window opens when you start the run/debug configuration. Otherwise, if the checkbox is cleared, the tool window is hidden. However, when the configuration is running, you can open the corresponding tool window for it yourself by pressing Alt+4 or Alt+5. |