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# Npm Packages
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The [**Angular CLI** ](https://cli.angular.io/ ), Angular applications, and Angular itself depend upon features and functionality provided by libraries that are available as [**npm** ](https://docs.npmjs.com/ ) packages.
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You can download and install these npm packages with the [**npm client** ](https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/install ), which runs as a Node.js® application.
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The [**yarn client** ](https://yarnpkg.com/en/ ) is a popular alternative for downloading and installing npm packages.
The Angular CLI uses `yarn` by default to install npm packages when you create a new project.
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< div class = "alert is-helpful" >
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Node.js and npm are essential to Angular development.
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[Get them now ](https://docs.npmjs.com/getting-started/installing-node "Installing Node.js and updating npm" )
if they're not already installed on your machine.
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**Verify that you are running Node.js `v8.x` or higher and npm `5.x` or higher**
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by running the commands `node -v` and `npm -v` in a terminal/console window.
Older versions produce errors.
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Consider using [nvm ](https://github.com/creationix/nvm ) for managing multiple
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versions of Node.js and npm. You may need [nvm ](https://github.com/creationix/nvm ) if
you already have projects running on your machine that use other versions of Node.js and npm.
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< / div >
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## _package.json_
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Both `npm` and `yarn` install packages that are identified in a [**package.json** ](https://docs.npmjs.com/files/package.json ) file.
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The CLI `ng new` command creates a default `package.json` file for your project.
This `package.json` specifies _a starter set of packages_ that work well together and
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jointly support many common application scenarios.
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You will add packages to `package.json` as your application evolves.
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You may even remove some.
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This guide focuses on the most important packages in the starter set.
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#### *dependencies* and *devDependencies*
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The `package.json` includes two sets of packages,
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[dependencies ](guide/npm-packages#dependencies ) and [devDependencies ](guide/npm-packages#dev-dependencies ).
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The *dependencies* are essential to *running* the application.
The *devDependencies* are only necessary to *develop* the application.
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{@a dependencies}
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## *Dependencies*
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The `dependencies` section of `package.json` contains:
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* **Angular packages**: Angular core and optional modules; their package names begin `@angular/` .
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* **Support packages**: 3rd party libraries that must be present for Angular apps to run.
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* **Polyfill packages**: Polyfills plug gaps in a browser's JavaScript implementation.
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### Angular Packages
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**@angular/animations**: Angular's animations library makes it easy to define and apply animation effects such as page and list transitions.
Read about it in the [Animations guide ](guide/animations ).
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**@angular/common**: The commonly needed services, pipes, and directives provided by the Angular team.
The [`HttpClientModule` ](guide/http ) is also here, in the '@angular/common/http' subfolder.
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**@angular/core**: Critical runtime parts of the framework needed by every application.
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Includes all metadata decorators, `Component` , `Directive` , dependency injection, and the component lifecycle hooks.
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**@angular/compiler**: Angular's *Template Compiler* .
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It understands templates and can convert them to code that makes the application run and render.
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Typically you don’ t interact with the compiler directly; rather, you use it indirectly via `platform-browser-dynamic` when [JIT compiling ](guide/aot-compiler ) in the browser.
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**@angular/forms**: support for both [template-driven ](guide/forms ) and [reactive forms ](guide/reactive-forms ).
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**@angular/http**: Angular's old, soon-to-be-deprecated, HTTP client.
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**@angular/platform-browser**: Everything DOM and browser related, especially
the pieces that help render into the DOM.
This package also includes the `bootstrapStatic()` method
for bootstrapping applications for production builds that pre-compile with [AOT ](guide/aot-compiler ).
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**@angular/platform-browser-dynamic**: Includes [Providers ](api/core/Provider )
and methods to compile and run the app on the client
using the [JIT compiler ](guide/aot-compiler ).
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**@angular/router**: The [router module ](/guide/router ) navigates among your app pages when the browser URL changes.
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**@angular/upgrade**: Set of utilities for upgrading AngularJS applications to Angular.
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{@a polyfills}
### Polyfill packages
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Many browsers lack native support for some features in the latest HTML standards,
features that Angular requires.
"[Polyfills](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyfill)" can emulate the missing features.
The [Browser Support ](guide/browser-support ) guide explains which browsers need polyfills and
how you can add them.
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The default `package.json` installs the ** [core-js ](https://github.com/zloirock/core-js )** package
which polyfills missing features for several popular browser.
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### Support packages
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**[rxjs](https://github.com/benlesh/RxJS)**: Many Angular APIs return _observables_ . RxJS is an implementation of the proposed [Observables specification ](https://github.com/zenparsing/es-observable ) currently before the
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[TC39 ](http://www.ecma-international.org/memento/TC39.htm ) committee that determines standards for the JavaScript language.
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**[zone.js](https://github.com/angular/zone.js)**: Angular relies on zone.js to run Angular's change detection processes when native JavaScript operations raise events. Zone.js is an implementation of a [specification ](https://gist.github.com/mhevery/63fdcdf7c65886051d55 ) currently before the
[TC39 ](http://www.ecma-international.org/memento/TC39.htm ) committee that determines standards for the JavaScript language.
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{@a dev-dependencies}
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## *DevDependencies*
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The packages listed in the *devDependencies* section of the `package.json` help you develop the application on your local machine.
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You don't deploy them with the production application although there is no harm in doing so.
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**[@angular/cli](https://github.com/angular/angular-cli/)**: The Angular CLI tools.
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**[@angular/compiler-cli](https://github.com/angular/angular/blob/master/packages/compiler-cli/README.md)**: The Angular compiler, which is invoked by the Angular CLI's `build` and `serve` commands.
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**[@angular/language-service](https://github.com/angular/angular-cli/)**: The Angular language service analyzes component templates and provides type and error information that TypeScript-aware editors can use to improve the developer's experience.
For example, see the [Angular language service extension for VS Code ](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=Angular.ng-template )
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**@types/... ** : TypeScript definition files for 3rd party libraries such as Jasmine and Node.js.
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**[codelyzer](https://www.npmjs.com/package/codelyzer)**: A linter for Angular apps whose rules conform to the Angular [style guide ](guide/styleguide ).
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**jasmine/... ** : packages to support the [Jasmine ](https://jasmine.github.io/ ) test library.
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**karma/... ** : packages to support the [karma ](https://www.npmjs.com/package/karma ) test runner.
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**[protractor](https://www.npmjs.com/package/protractor)**: an end-to-end (e2e) framework for Angular apps.
Built on top of [WebDriverJS ](https://github.com/SeleniumHQ/selenium/wiki/WebDriverJs ).
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**[ts-node](https://www.npmjs.com/package/ts-node)**: TypeScript execution environment and REPL for Node.js.
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**[tslint](https://www.npmjs.com/package/tslint)**: a static analysis tool that checks TypeScript code for readability, maintainability, and functionality errors.
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**[typescript](https://www.npmjs.com/package/typescript)**:
the TypeScript language server, including the *tsc* TypeScript compiler.
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## So many packages! So many files!
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The default `package.json` installs more packages than you'll need for your project.
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A given package may contain tens, hundreds, even thousands of files,
all of them in your local machine's `node_modules` directory.
The sheer volume of files is intimidating,
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You can remove packages that you don't need but how can you be sure that you won't need it?
As a practical matter, it's better to install a package you don't need than worry about it.
Extra packages and package files on your local development machine are harmless.
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By default the Angular CLI build process bundles into a single file just the few "vendor" library files that your application actually needs.
The browser downloads this bundle, not the original package files.
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See the [Deployment ](guide/deployment ) to learn more.