npm install not working with --prefix

Question

It seems that npm install --prefix ./server (with no args) is not working with --prefix flag. I just want to install all packages from package.json. All I get after that command is:

npm WARN enoent ENOENT: no such file or directory, open '/home/.../ProjectName/server/package.json'

All is fine when I put npm install package_name -S --prefix ./server for example. Then NPM will create node_modules in server and will add package_name package.

My files structure is:

ProjectName
|
+-- client
|   +-- node_modules
|   +-- package.json
+-- server
|   +-- node_modules
+-- package.json

"Main" package.json contains all scripts (for Heroku and for me) and dependiencies for server. client is Angular2 app that's why it has own node_modules and package.json.

I use NPM 4.2.0. With version 5.0.3 (newest?) it seems that --prefix flag is not working at all.

EDIT #1

I've just discovered that I can solve my problem with npm install (which will install node_modules in my project folder) and then copy node_modules to server/node_modules. Without that copy jasmine throws errors during tsc build.

Now I have to have node_modules in main catalog and copy of them in server. That's so odd..

EDIT #2

According to @Damian Lattenero answer:

npm --prefix ./server install ./ProjectName/package.json

or

npm --prefix ProjectName/server install ./ProjectName/package.json

IS NOT WORKING and generates:

npm ERR! code ENOLOCAL npm ERR! Could not install "RecursiveNotebook3/package.json" as it is not a directory and is not a file with a name ending in .tgz, .tar.gz or .tar

THIS WORKS:

npm --prefix ProjectName/server install ./ProjectName

but generates:

npm WARN saveError ENOENT: no such file or directory, open '/home/tb/Projects/RecursiveNotebook3/server/package.json' npm notice created a lockfile as package-lock.json. You should commit this file. npm WARN enoent ENOENT: no such file or directory, open '/home/ tb/Projects/RecursiveNotebook3/server/package.json'

and

package-lock.json next to node_modules

and

empty etc catalog next to node_modules

and

There are some problems with build (tsc -p server) with mongodb package.

Answer 1

Try:

npm --prefix ./server install ./ProjectName/package.json

or

npm install --prefix ./server ./ProjectName/package.json

Also, to understand better what the --prefix do, you can check this two answers:

How to npm install to a specified directory?

npm - install dependencies for a package in a different folder?

Answer 2

Works for me

npm install --prefix ./server ./server

Answer 3

Running the newest version of Ubuntu (Ubuntu 16.04.2 LTS), I encountered the same problem with npm install. I also got an ENOENT error, indicating that npm cannot find the necessary files.

When I installed nodejs-legacy, as shown here under:

sudo apt-get install nodejs-legacy

npm subsequently compiled fine, and my Angular application deployed as it should.