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1 ---
2 title: Creating a package.json file
3 redirect_from:
4 - /about-package-json-and-package-lock-json-files
5 - /getting-started/using-a-package.json
6 ---
7
8 You can add a `package.json` file to your package to make it easy for others to manage and install. Packages published to the registry must contain a `package.json` file.
9
10 A `package.json` file:
11
12 - lists the packages your project depends on
13 - specifies versions of a package that your project can use using [semantic versioning rules][semver]
14 - makes your build reproducible, and therefore easier to share with other developers
15
16 <Note>
17
18 **Note:** To make your package easier to find on the npm website, we recommend including a custom `description` in your `package.json` file.
19
20 </Note>
21
22 ## `package.json` fields
23
24 ### Required `name` and `version` fields
25
26 A `package.json` file must contain `"name"` and `"version"` fields.
27
28 The `"name"` field contains your package's name and _must_ be lowercase _without_ any spaces. May contain _hyphens_, _dots_, and _underscores_.
29
30 The `"version"` field must be in the form `x.x.x` and follow the [semantic versioning guidelines][semver].
31
32 ### Author field
33
34 If you want inclusive package author information, in the `"author"` field use the following format (email and website are both optional):
35
36 ```
37 Your Name <email@example.com> (https://example.com)
38 ```
39
40 ### Example
41
42 ```
43 {
44 "name": "my-awesome-package",
45 "version": "1.0.0",
46 "author": "Your Name <email@example.com> (https://example.com)"
47 }
48 ```
49
50 ## Creating a new `package.json` file
51
52 You can create a `package.json` file by running a CLI questionnaire or creating a default `package.json` file.
53
54 ### Running a CLI questionnaire
55
56 To create a `package.json` file with values that you supply, use the `npm init` command.
57
58 1. On the command line, navigate to the root directory of your package.
59
60 ```
61 cd /path/to/package
62 ```
63
64 2. Run the following command:
65
66 ```
67 npm init
68 ```
69
70 3. Answer the questions in the command line questionnaire.
71
72 #### Customizing the `package.json` questionnaire
73
74 If you expect to create many `package.json` files, you can customize the questions asked and fields created during the `init` process so all the `package.json` files contain a standard set of information.
75
76 1. In your home directory, create a file called `.npm-init.js`.
77
78 2. To add custom questions, using a text editor, add questions with the `prompt` function:
79
80 ```
81 module.exports = prompt("what's your favorite flavor of ice cream, buddy?", "I LIKE THEM ALL");
82 ```
83
84 3. To add custom fields, using a text editor, add desired fields to the `.npm-init.js` file:
85
86 ```
87 module.exports = {
88 customField: 'Example custom field',
89 otherCustomField: 'This example field is really cool'
90 }
91 ```
92
93 To learn more about creating advanced `npm init` customizations, see the [init-package-json GitHub repository][init-pkg-json GitHub repository].
94
95 ### Creating a default `package.json` file
96
97 To create a default `package.json` using information extracted from the current directory, use the `npm init` command with the `--yes` or `-y` flag. For a list of default values, see "[Default values extracted from the current directory](#default-values-extracted-from-the-current-directory)".
98
99 1. On the command line, navigate to the root directory of your package.
100
101 ```
102 cd /path/to/package
103 ```
104
105 2. Run the following command:
106
107 ```
108 npm init --yes
109 ```
110
111 #### Example
112
113 ```
114 > npm init --yes
115 Wrote to /home/monatheoctocat/my_package/package.json:
116
117 {
118 "name": "my_package",
119 "description": "make your package easier to find on the npm website",
120 "version": "1.0.0",
121 "scripts": {
122 "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
123 },
124 "repository": {
125 "type": "git",
126 "url": "https://github.com/monatheoctocat/my_package.git"
127 },
128 "keywords": [],
129 "author": "",
130 "license": "ISC",
131 "bugs": {
132 "url": "https://github.com/monatheoctocat/my_package/issues"
133 },
134 "homepage": "https://github.com/monatheoctocat/my_package"
135 }
136 ```
137
138 #### Default values extracted from the current directory
139
140 - `name`: the current directory name
141 - `version`: always `1.0.0`
142 - `description`: info about the package, or an empty string `""`
143 - `scripts`: by default creates an empty `test` script
144 - `keywords`: empty
145 - `author`: empty
146 - `license`: [`ISC`][isc-license]
147 - `bugs`: information from the current directory, if present
148 - `homepage`: information from the current directory, if present
149
150 ### Setting config options for the init command
151
152 You can set default config options for the `npm init` command. For example, to set the default author email, author name, and license, on the command line, run the following commands:
153
154 ```
155 > npm set init-author-email "example-user@example.com"
156 > npm set init-author-name "example_user"
157 > npm set init-license "MIT"
158 ```
159
160 [semver]: about-semantic-versioning
161 [init-pkg-json Github repository]: https://github.com/npm/init-package-json
162 [isc-license]: https://opensource.org/licenses/ISC