How to add dependency from another Github project?

Question

In my new project created using the command:

npm init

I want do add dependency from another GitHub project, so I used command:

npm install https://github.com/cichy380/prefixData.git --save-dev

but I got error:

npm ERR! code ENOPACKAGEJSON

npm ERR! package.json Non-registry package missing package.json: git+https://github.com/cichy380/prefixData.git.

npm ERR! package.json npm can't find a package.json file in your current directory.

Can you explain me why?

Answer 1

I believe I can answer your question "Can you explain me why?"

Given the limited information in the question no one can for certain tell you the root cause of your error, but it COULD be one of these reasons:

1. The simplest problem could be there is no package.json in your repository; OR

2. In your question you say that you executed the command:

   npm install https://github.com/cichy380/prefixData.git --save-dev
   

   This is not a valid npm package git url format. It's possible that if you used the protocol git+https you will not get that error, like so

   npm install git+https://github.com/cichy380/prefixData.git --save-dev
   

   I'm not sure if that's valid across all npm versions, but as you will see in the npm package docs link it does not allow for just https protocol; OR

3. Two reasons I can't say for certain 2 is your problem is ONE, not sure what version npm package you're using and what npm versions obey the docs I provided as a link and TWO your error you provided includes the git+https protocol so thats confusing:

   npm ERR! package.json Non-registry package missing package.json: 
   git+https://github.com/cichy380/prefixData.git.
   

Hopefully this helps someone!