---
title: npm-init
section: 1
description: create a package.json file
---

### Synopsis

```bash
npm init [--force|-f|--yes|-y|--scope]
npm init <@scope> (same as `npx <@scope>/create`)
npm init [<@scope>/]<name> (same as `npx [<@scope>/]create-<name>`)
```

### Description

`npm init <initializer>` can be used to set up a new or existing npm
package.

`initializer` in this case is an npm package named `create-<initializer>`,
which will be installed by [`npx`](https://npm.im/npx), and then have its
main bin executed -- presumably creating or updating `package.json` and
running any other initialization-related operations.

The init command is transformed to a corresponding `npx` operation as
follows:

* `npm init foo` -> `npx create-foo`
* `npm init @usr/foo` -> `npx @usr/create-foo`
* `npm init @usr` -> `npx @usr/create`

Any additional options will be passed directly to the command, so `npm init
foo -- --hello` will map to `npx create-foo --hello`.

If the initializer is omitted (by just calling `npm init`), init will fall
back to legacy init behavior. It will ask you a bunch of questions, and
then write a package.json for you. It will attempt to make reasonable
guesses based on existing fields, dependencies, and options selected. It is
strictly additive, so it will keep any fields and values that were already
set. You can also use `-y`/`--yes` to skip the questionnaire altogether. If
you pass `--scope`, it will create a scoped package.

### Examples

Create a new React-based project using
[`create-react-app`](https://npm.im/create-react-app):

```bash
$ npm init react-app ./my-react-app
```

Create a new `esm`-compatible package using
[`create-esm`](https://npm.im/create-esm):

```bash
$ mkdir my-esm-lib && cd my-esm-lib
$ npm init esm --yes
```

Generate a plain old package.json using legacy init:

```bash
$ mkdir my-npm-pkg && cd my-npm-pkg
$ git init
$ npm init
```

Generate it without having it ask any questions:

```bash
$ npm init -y
```

### A note on caching

The npm cli utilizes its internal package cache when using the package
name specified.  You can use the following to change how and when the
cli uses this cache. See [`npm cache`](/commands/npm-cache) for more on
how the cache works.

#### prefer-online

Forces staleness checks for packages, making the cli look for updates
immediately even if the package is already in the cache.

#### prefer-offline

Bypasses staleness checks for packages.  Missing data will still be
requested from the server. To force full offline mode, use `offline`.

#### offline

Forces full offline mode. Any packages not locally cached will result in
an error.

### See Also

* [init-package-json module](http://npm.im/init-package-json)
* [package.json](/configuring-npm/package-json)
* [npm version](/commands/npm-version)
* [npm scope](/using-npm/scope)
* [npm exec](/commands/npm-exec)
