Install custom npm package

Wappler General Need Help
1

@Teodor How do i install an extension not in the "wappler" list?

I need to install "diff" from the npm site but cant see how to do that now?

In the past i would simply click "Add extension" then type in "diff" to install it.

Do i have to revert to installing from terminal?

2

OH! maybe you have done that even better, i see "diff" is installed on the development project, are dependencies auto installed now negating the need to manually add them?

3

The Wappler custom extensions is mean for Wappler specific extensions tagged on npm with the keyword ‘Wappler-extension’

Regular npm packages you can install with the npm install command indeed.

If you need npm packages as dependency for your Wappler custom extensions just list them as dependency and they will be installed automatically

4

Thanks George, I have always used the extension installer in project settings for all npm installs but no problem manually installing from terminal.
In the past i believe dependencies were installed automatically when installing from npm but when developing new server connect extensions under extensions/server_connect/modules etc I have always had to install the npm dependencies manually into the development environment.
Much slicker now thanks

5

As I said there is no need for manual dependencies installation. If you list them as dependencies in the package.json of your Wappler extension they will be installed automatically

6

Actually you seem to have been cleverer than that, maybe without realising
In my case the "diff" npm was installed automatically in the development target before i actually added a package.json file.
I can only assume it was installed by reference to its definition within the HJSON file as that is the only reference to it (outside the .js: const diff = require('diff');) ?
Could this in the HJSON have initiated the install when parsed?

    usedModules : { 
        node: {'diff' : '^8.0.2'}
  }

I dont see where else it could have installed from

7

Yes indeed usedModules also auto install listed modules on usage. Good point :slight_smile:

But if you always need it, just list it in the dependencies as well