Running js file in terminal

Question

I'm trying to run this simple file in an empty folder

// time.js
const moment = require('moment')

function getDay() {
  var today = moment().day()
  console.log(today);
}

getDay()

using node time.js

But I get

Error: Cannot find module 'moment'

However I have run npm install -g moment and npm install moment.

What noob error am I doing?

If the folder is empty, then you forgot to add an package json and install moment inside this folder. So require can't find anything. Or is there a folder named node_modules present? — cyr_x
– cyr_x, Commented Mar 5, 2017 at 23:45
@cyrix so you can't just run a standalone .js file in the terminal ? — softcode
– softcode, Commented Mar 5, 2017 at 23:52
sure you can, but don't rely on npm packages if you didn't install them inside your project folder — cyr_x
– cyr_x, Commented Mar 5, 2017 at 23:53
i added an example on how to quickly set up npm for a project folder. (note: it's an minimal example) — cyr_x
– cyr_x, Commented Mar 5, 2017 at 23:57

Benjamin Loison · Accepted Answer · 2023-05-23 15:28:14Z

4

Just do the following commands on your console inside your folder:

npm init // just hit enter some times or follow the process
npm install moment --save
node time.js

Note: You could skip the npm init part but I wouldn't recommend it due to dependency control.

Benjamin Loison

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answered Mar 5, 2017 at 23:56

cyr_x

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2 Comments

So how would you run it without npm ?

Why would you want to do that? You got nodejs installed therefore let npm handle your dependencies ;)

xxfast · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-06 00:05:11Z

0

you need to make sure you have initiated the package before requiring dependencies,

to install moment

npm install moment

to initialize the package

npm init

This will create the package.json, make sure that "moment^x.x.x" is available within the dependencies

Set your time.js as the main.js in package's scripts as well,

for example

"scripts": {
    "start": "node time.js",
  },

and then to run the app

npm start

answered Mar 6, 2017 at 0:05

xxfast

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