Bower
WebStorm provides interface for installing, uninstalling, and upgrading client-side libraries and frameworks for your project using the Bower Package Manager. Alternatively, you can use the tool in the command line mode from the embedded local terminal.
The easiest way to install the Bower package manager is to use the Node Package Manager (npm), which is a part of Node.js. See NPM for details.
Depending on the desired location of the Bower package manager executable file, choose one of the following methods:
- Install the package manager globally at the WebStorm level so it can be used in any WebStorm project.
- Install the package manager in a specific project and thus restrict its use to this project.
- Install the package manager in a project as a development dependency.
In either installation mode, make sure that the parent folder of the Bower package manager is added to the PATH
variable. This enables you to launch the package manager from any folder.
WebStorm provides user interface both for global and project installation as well as supports installation through the command line.
Before you start, download and install the Node.js runtime environment is required for two reasons:
Installing Bower globally
Global installation makes a package manager available at the WebStorm level so it can be used in any WebStorm project. Moreover, during installation the parent folder of the package manager is automatically added to the PATH
variable, which enables you to launch the package manager from any folder.
- Run the installation from the command line in the global mode:
- Open the embedded Terminal ( ) and switch to the directory where NPM is stored or define a
PATH
variable for it so it is available from any folder, see Installing NodeJs. - Type the following command at the command prompt:
npm install -g bower
The
-g
key makes the package manager run in the global mode. Because the installation is performed through NPM, the Bower package manager is installed in thenpm
folder. Make sure this parent folder is added to thePATH
variable. This enables you to launch the package manager from any folder.For more details on the NPM operation modes, see npm documentation. For more information about installing the Bower package manager, see https://npmjs.org/package/bower.
- Open the embedded Terminal ( ) and switch to the directory where NPM is stored or define a
- Run NPM from WebStorm using the Node.js and NPM page of the Settings dialog box.
- Open the Settings / Preferences Dialog by pressing Ctrl+Alt+S or by choosing for Windows and Linux or for macOS, and click Node.js and NPM under Languages & Frameworks.
- On the Node.js and NPM page that opens, the Packages area shows all the Node.js-dependent packages that are currently installed on your computer, both at the global and at the project level. Click .
- In the Available Packages dialog box that opens, select the required package to install.
- Select the Options checkbox and type
-g
in the text box next to it. - Optionally specify the product version and click Install Package to start installation.
Installing Bower in a project
Local installation in a specific project restricts the use of a package manager to this project.
- Run the installation from the command line:
- Open the embedded Terminal ( ) and switch to the project root folder.
- At the command prompt, type
npm install bower
.
- Run NPM from WebStorm using the Node.js and NPM page of the Settings dialog box.
- Open the Settings / Preferences Dialog by pressing Ctrl+Alt+S or by choosing for Windows and Linux or for macOS, and click Node.js and NPM under Languages & Frameworks.
- On the Node.js and NPM page that opens, the Packages area shows all the Node.js-dependent packages that are currently installed on your computer, both at the global and at the project level. Click .
- In the Available Packages dialog box that opens, select the required package.
- Optionally specify the product version and click Install Package to start installation.
Creating a Bower configuration file bower.json
- In the command line mode, switch to your project directory.
- Type the following command at the command prompt:
bower init
If Bower does not start, check the installation: the parent folder or the Bower executable file should be specified in the PATH variable.
- Answer the questions to specify the following basic settings:
- The testing framework to use.
- The browsers to be captured automatically.
- The patterns that define the location of test files to be involved in testing or excluded from it.
Configuring Bower in WebStorm
- Open the Settings / Preferences Dialog by pressing Ctrl+Alt+S or by choosing for Windows and Linux or for macOS. Expand the Languages & Frameworks node, and then click Bower under JavaScript.
- On the Bower page that opens, specify the location of the Node.js and Bower executable files and the
bower.json
configuration file.