IntelliJ IDEA 2019.2 Help

Run/Debug Configuration: NPM

Run | Edit Configurations | Add New Configuration | NPM


In this dialog, create configurations for running npm and Yarn scripts locally. "Locally" in the current context means that IntelliJ IDEA itself starts Node.js installed on your computer, whereupon initiates script execution.

Before you start

  1. Download and install Node.js. Note that npm is also installed so if you are going to use it you are through with the preliminary steps.

  2. To use Yarn, install it as described on the Yarn official website.

Configuration tab

Item

Description

package.json

In this field, specify the package.json file to run the scripts from. Choose the file from the drop-down list which shows all the package.json files detected in the current project or click the Browse button and choose the required package.json in the dialog box that opens.

Command

From this list, choose the npm CLI command to execute, by default run-script is selected. Learn more at npm documentation, under the section CLI Commands.

Scripts

From this drop-down list, choose the script to which the chosen command will be applied. The list contains all the scripts defined within the scripts property in the package.json file.

Arguments

In this field, specify the command line arguments to execute a script with. Learn more from the npm official website.

Node interpreter

In this field, specify the Node.js interpreter to use. This can be a local Node.js interpreter or a Node.js on Windows Subsystem for Linux.

Node Options

In this text box, type the Node.js-specific command line options to be passed to the Node.js executable file. The acceptable options are:

  • Use --require coffee-script/register to have CoffeeScript files compiled into JavaScript on the fly during run.

    This mode requires that the register.js file, which is a part of the 3 package, should be located inside the project. Therefore you need to install the coffee-script package on the Node.js page locally, as described in npm and Yarn.

  • Use --inspect parameter when you are using Node.js v7 for Chrome Debugging Protocol support. Otherwise, by default the debug process will use V8 Debugging Protocol.

Package manager

In this field. specify the package manager to use. If you choose the Project alias, IntelliJ IDEA will use the default project package manager from the Node.js page. You can also choose the relevant package alias (npm or yarn) or specify an explicit path to a custom installation of a package manager.

Environment Variables

In this field, specify the environment variables for the Node.js executable file, if applicable. Click Browse the Browse button to the right of the field and configure a list of variables in the Environment Variables dialog, that opens:
  • To define a new variable, click the Add button and specify the variable name and value.

  • To discard a variable definition, select it in the list and click the Remove button.

  • Click OK, when ready

The definitions of variables are displayed in the Environment variables read-only field with semicolons as separators. The acceptable variables are:

  • NODE_PATH: A :-separated list of directories prefixed to the module search path.

  • NODE_MODULE_CONTEXTS: Set to 1 to load modules in their own global contexts.

  • NODE_DISABLE_COLORS: Set to 1 to disable colors in the REPL.

Common

When you edit a run configuration (but not a run configuration template), you can specify the following options:

Item

Description

Name

In this field, specify the name for the run/debug configuration. The name will help you identify the created configuration when you choose to edit it later, or when you invoke it, for example, from the Run popup Shift+Alt+F10.

Share through VCS

Select this checkbox to put the run/debug configuration under version control and make it available to other team members.

If the directory-based project format is used, the settings for a run/debug configuration are stored in a separate .xml file in the .idea\runConfigurations folder if the run/debug configuration is shared, or in the .idea\workspace.xml file otherwise.

If the file-based format is used, the settings are stored in the .ipr file for shared configurations, or in the .iws file otherwise.

Allow running in parallel

If this checkbox is selected, it is possible to launch a run configuration multiple times in parallel instead of rerunning it. Each runner will start in its own tab of the Run Tool Window or Debug Tool Window.

When disabled, every time a new instance of the run/debug configuration is launched, IntelliJ IDEA checks the presence of the other instances of the same run/debug configuration, and displays a confirmation dialog. If you click OK in the confirmation dialog, the first instance of the runner will be stopped, and the next one will take its place. This makes sense when launching two instances of run/debug configurations of the same type consumes too much of the CPU and memory resources..

Toolbar

The tree view of run/debug configurations has a toolbar that helps you manage configurations available in your project as well as adjust default configurations templates.

Item

Shortcut

Description

the Add buttonAlt+Insert

Create a run/debug configuration.

the Remove buttonAlt+Delete

Delete the selected run/debug configuration. Note that you cannot delete default configurations.

Copy Ctrl+D

Create a copy of the selected run/debug configuration. Note that you create copies of default configurations.

Save configuration

The button is displayed only when you select a temporary configuration. Click this button to save a temporary configuration as permanent.

Edit Templates

View and edit the template (that is, the default settings) for the selected run/debug configuration. The templates are displayed under the Templates node and used for newly created configurations.

Method up/Method down

Alt+Up/Alt+Down

Move the selected run/debug configuration up and down in the list.

The order of configurations in the list defines the order, in which the configurations appear when you choose a run/debug configuration.

Default templates of run/debug configurations are always sorted alphabetically.

Move into new folder / Create new folder

Move into new folder / Create new folder. You can group run/debug configurations by placing them into folders.

To create a folder, select the configurations within a category, click Folder, and specify the folder name. If only a category is in focus, an empty folder is created.

Then, to move a configuration into a folder, between the folders or out of a folder, use drag or Move Up and Move Down buttons.

To remove grouping, select a folder and click Remove Configuration.

Sort configurations

Click this button to sort configurations in the alphabetical order.

Before Launch

In this area you can specify tasks that must be performed before starting the selected run/debug configuration. The tasks are performed in the order they appear in the list.

Item

Shortcut

Description

the Add buttonAlt+Insert

Click this icon to add one of the following available tasks:

  • Run External tool: select to run an external application. In the dialog that opens, select one or multiple applications you want to run. If it is not defined in IntelliJ IDEA yet, add its definition. For more information, see External tools and External Tools.

  • Run Another Configuration: select to execute another run/debug configuration. In the dialog that opens, select the configuration to be run.

  • Build Artifacts: select this option to build an artifact or artifacts. In the dialog that opens, select the artifact or artifacts that should be built.

  • Launch Web Browser: select this option to have a browser started. In the dialog that opens, select the type of the browser and provide the start URL. Also, specify if you want the browser be launched with JavaScript debugger.

  • Run Ant target: select this option to run an Ant target. In the dialog that opens, select the target to be run.

  • Run Grunt task: select this option to run a Grunt task.

    In the Grunt task dialog that opens, specify the Gruntfile.js where the required task is defined, select the task to execute, and specify the arguments to pass to the Grunt tool.

    Specify the location of the Node.js interpreter, the parameters to pass to it, and the path to the grunt-cli package.

  • Run Gulp task: select this option to run a Gulp task.

    In the Gulp task dialog that opens, specify the Gulpfile.js where the required task is defined, select the task to execute, and specify the arguments to pass to the Gulp tool.

    Specify the location of the Node.js interpreter, the parameters to pass to it, and the path to the gulp package.

  • Run Maven Goal: select this option to run a Maven goal. In the dialog that opens, select the goal to be run.

  • Run npm Script: select this option to execute an npm script.

    In the NPM Script dialog that opens, specify the npm run/debug configuration settings.
  • Generate CoffeeScript Source Maps: select this option to generate the source maps for your CoffeeScript sources. In the dialog that opens, specify where your CoffeeScript source files are located.

  • Run Remote External tool: adds a remote SSH external tool.

the Remove buttonAlt+Delete

Click this icon to remove the selected task from the list.

Edit Enter

Click this icon to edit the selected task. Make the necessary changes in the dialog that opens.

Method up/Method down

Alt+Up/Alt+Down

Click these icons to move the selected task one line up or down in the list. (The tasks are performed in the order that they appear in the list.)

Show this page

Select this checkbox to show the run/debug configuration settings prior to actually starting the run/debug configuration.

Activate tool window

By default this checkbox is selected and the Run or the Debug tool window opens when you start the run/debug configuration.

Otherwise, if the checkbox is cleared, the tool window isn't shown. However, when the configuration is running, you can open the corresponding tool window for it yourself by pressing Alt+4 or Alt+5.

Last modified: 17 October 2019