Difference between npm start and npm run start

Question

I have checked both commands npm start and npm run start, both works perfectly. I used create-react-app. But to make configuration changes in the CSS module, I run npm eject but it throws an error.

But npm run eject worked? I'm confused on why npm eject didn't work. Can I configure this?

Below is my package.json:

  "scripts": {
    "start": "react-scripts start",
    "build": "react-scripts build",
    "test": "react-scripts test --env=jsdom",
    "eject": "react-scripts eject"
  }

score 349 · Accepted Answer · edited Dec 04 '19 at 20:26

349

npm test, npm start, npm restart, and npm stop are all aliases for npm run xxx.

For all other scripts you define, you need to use the npm run xxx syntax.

See the docs at https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/run-script for more information.

edited Dec 04 '19 at 20:26

Reg Edit

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answered Jul 16 '18 at 09:12

AKX

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like i am new to this, i didn't clearly understood that one – Learner Jul 16 '18 at 09:46
What in particular didn't you understand? – AKX Jul 16 '18 at 09:47
i didnt understand like meant by aliases means? – Learner Jul 16 '18 at 09:47
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With aliases I mean that `npm test` does exactly what `npm run test` does, `npm start` does exactly what `npm run start` does, and so on. – AKX Jul 16 '18 at 09:49
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why start is aliase and build is not? – user1912383 Sep 27 '18 at 14:48
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@user1912383 You'd have to ask the authors of npm. I suppose `npm start` is just used often enough to warrant an alias. – AKX Sep 28 '18 at 12:47
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Actually, it also runs the `prestart` and `poststart` script, before and after the `start` script https://docs.npmjs.com/misc/scripts – hashlash Apr 26 '20 at 16:13
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@hashlash That's true for `npm run *` too. `npm run foo` will run `prefoo`, `foo`, `postfoo`. – AKX Apr 26 '20 at 16:37
how about npm init and npm run init. Are they also exactly the same when you run them? If not, what's their difference? please point me to a good reference please. Thanks. – winux Aug 03 '20 at 17:38
I think the x's were what were a bit confusing. The convention is normally * for a wildcard. – Gary Carlyle Cook Aug 06 '20 at 20:31

score 20 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 03 '20 at 10:24

20

npm start is the short form for npm run start. So, its one and the same thing.

answered Jan 03 '20 at 10:24

Ayushi Jain

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Vimal Maheedharan · Answer 3 · 2021-11-29T02:52:22.733

5

One interesting thing to note is,
If the scripts object does not have a "start" property in package.json file, npm start or npm run start from command line will run node server.js by default.

But if the scripts object in package.json has "start" property, it overrides node server.js and executes the command in "start" property.

See - https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v7/commands/npm-start#description

edited Nov 29 '21 at 02:52

answered Nov 01 '21 at 08:54

Vimal Maheedharan

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Difference between npm start and npm run start

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