Missing package.json

[LucaSchwan]

trafficstars

Hi, I just wanted to let you know that you only have your package-lock.json comitted.

[Tanza3D]

i don't seem to actually have a package.json at all

[LucaSchwan]

What commands are you using to run it?

[Tanza3D]

just node main.js

[adeleke5140]

@Tanza3D I see that a package.json file is missing. I can help with that. What packages are used in this project?

[Tanza3D]

im pretty sure it's just socket.io and express, along with any packages they need. i'm unsure how package.json files help, so would be appreciated!

[adeleke5140]

im pretty sure it's just socket.io and express, along with any packages they need. i'm unsure how package.json files help, so would be appreciated!

Well, if a contributor wanted to clone the project locally, it would be hard to know which packages are required. A package json file helps out that information in one place.

From the npm docs:

A package.json file:

• lists the packages your project depends on
• specifies versions of a package that your project can use using semantic versioning rules
• makes your build reproducible, and therefore easier to share with other developers

source

[icedream]

@Tanza3D it is pretty much common practice to provide a package.json with all the commands and dependencies (exact versions!) included in it so a Node.js dev can just run the usual npm install and npm start commands to get a dev setup up and running.

I can create a PR with the minimal set later but a package.json can basically be created with

npm init
# < at this point fill out the prompts, mostly defaults will work >
npm install -S express socket.io

And adding the following script to the "scripts" section:

"start": "node ./main.js"

Then check in the package.json. That's by the way where package-lock.json comes in as a shrink wrap for all dependencies. So I am surprised you didn't have one to begin with.