# Installing Node

Node.js is required for several Appcelerator components, including the Titanium CLI, Alloy, and the API Builder. Node.js is also required to build the Titanium SDK.

# Compatibility and download

To run all Appcelerator components, you must have Node.js 14.x or later.

On Mac OS X and Windows, if you have selected to install Titanium updates, Studio prompts you to install Node.js. On Linux, you need to manually install Node.js.

# Installation

Before installing the CLI, you should decide where you want the Node Package Manager (npm) to install packages. By default npm installs into /usr/local on OS X and Linux, which requires that you run npm as root. This is not recommended. You can avoid having to run npm by doing one of the following:

• Make the /usr/local directory writable by all:

  sudo chmod 777 /usr/local
  

• Set npm to install to your home directory, or another directory of your choosing by setting the npm prefix. For example, you can add the following to your .bash_profile or other initialization file:

  export NPM_CONFIG_PREFIX=$HOME
  

  Alternately, you can create a .npmrc file in your home directory with the following contents:

  prefix=/path/to/home
  

  Where /path/to/home is the path to your home directory. Setting the npm prefix to your home directory causes the npm packages to be installed to $HOME/lib/node_modules and launch scripts are installed in $HOME/bin. $HOME/bin must be in your PATH.

If you change your prefix after installing npm packages, you will have to reinstall packages. If you change the permissions on /usr/local after installing packages as root, you may need to change the ownership of the npm cache folder, as described in Troubleshooting npm Problems.

# Using NPM packages in Titanium

1. Run npm init in the app/lib folder in your Alloy project. If you are using a classic app, run the init step in your /Resources folder.

2. Follow the steps npm gives you when doing the init step. Note: You don’t have to fill out anything if you don't need to.

3. Execute npm i <packagename> in the /lib folder to install a package. For example, let’s set up to.imagecache (opens new window). You'd use this comment to install the package: npm i to.imagecache

4. Add the lib/node_modules folder and the package-lock.json file to your .gitignore folder.

5. On any other machine you want to set this up, go to your /lib folder, run npm install and all packages will be installed to your app.

# Usage of packages

Usage of a package is like another module or library file. Using the to.imagecache example:

var imageCache = require('to.imagecache');

# Dependencies

To install a package dependency,

1. Ensure you are in the /lib folder, or if using a classic project, the /Resources folder.

2. Execute npm i <dependency>

3. To use the dependency, for example a module called ImageView from the to.cacheimageview (sample extension of the to.imagecache package):

   <ImageView id="myImage" module="to.cachedimageview" />
   

# Finding packages

To find all the current packages with the titanium-module, you can use this npm site search: https://www.npmjs.com/search?q=keywords:titanium-module (opens new window)

A lot of Titanium packages are found using the titanium or titanium-module keywords. Note: when creating a public common.js module and/or library file, please tag it with the titanium-module keyword.

# Troubleshooting

# Error: EONT, stat C:\Users\<USER_NAME>\AppData\Roaming\npm

The error message indicates the folder is missing. To resolve this issue, manually create the folder:

mkdir C:\Users\<USER_NAME>\AppData\Roaming\npm

# Issues installing NPM packages

If you experience an issue installing any of the npm packages, try the following:

• Check permissions. If you originally ran npm using sudo, you may need to change the ownership of the npm cache folder.

  sudo chown -R <username> ~/.npmrc
  

  On Windows, the npm cache defaults to npm-cache in the user's home folder.

• Clear the npm package cache:

  npm cache clean
  

• Remove your .npmrc file.