Angular module from Github, how to integrate in my module?

Question

Summary

I'm looking for instructions on how to get a github-fork of a node_module integrated into my project, so I can use the module with my own modifications to it, without touching code inside node_modules/xyz.

Details / example / reason:

As an example I have found that angular/cdk drag and drop is quite nice, but has flaws. So I needed to change the code in node_modules/@angular/cdk/esm2015/drag-drop.js (which I don't want to).
But also plotly (https://github.com/plotly/angular-plotly.js).

Mostly, like with the cdk/drag-drop there's a github repository with source code. And of course, changing sth. inside node_modules is ultra stupid and obviously I'd prefer to fork the repository instead and then link my fork in the package.json or so (?!).

That said...
I don't know how right now.
I could not find any docs or blogs on this topic. I guess I must be choosing the wrong keywords ??!

What I'd like to ask for

Could someone please give a link to a page that explains this process in great detail or at least summarize the important steps ?

What's on my mind so far...
Where to put the repository relative to my project, can/must it be in a parallel folder ? In my main project how to link that new forked git module (is it in package.json ?) Do I need to separately precompile that forked git module after every change ? Which commands ? Or is there an option so that my main module/project compiles each change through the ng serve watch as well on development ?

Answer 1

You have several options to use a dependency's fork in your Angular project:

If your fork is only available locally

Please check @Dino's answer.

Upload your fork on GitHub (or another Git host)

• in your package.json, import the fork like that: "dependency": "git+https://github.com/your-username/your-git-repository.git"
• your fork will be added to the node_modulesdirectory
• be aware that you'll have to push all changes in your fork and execute npm i in your project again

To learn in detail how to import a GitHub repository as dependency, read also the official npm documentation.

Upload your fork on npm

• sign up at npm to create an account
• go to your fork directory: cd fork-directory
• login to npm: npm login
• initialize your package: npm init
  • check that your package name does not exist yet: https://www.npmjs.com/package/your-package-name should return a 404 error
• publish your package: npm publish
• in your package.json, import the fork: "your-package-name": "package-version" (package-version is the version number of your npm package)
• be aware that each time you have changes in your fork, you'll have to publish a new package version with higher package version number than before and execute npm i in your project again

To learn how to publish an npm package, read also this blog post and the official npm documentation.