npm i vs npm ci

 The commands npm i and npm ci are both related to installing dependencies

with npm (Node Package Manager), but they have different purposes and behaviors.

Here's an explanation of each command:

npm i: The npm i command is short for npm install. It is used to install

dependencies

listed in the package.json file of a Node.js project. When you run npm i,

npm reads the package.json file and installs all the dependencies specified

in the "dependencies" and "devDependencies" sections.

If there is no package.json file present, it will create a new one with the

installed dependencies.

npm ci: The npm ci command is designed for continuous integration (CI)

environments.

It stands for "clean install" and is used to install dependencies based on

the package-lock.json

or npm-shrinkwrap.json file. It discards the node_modules directory before

installing the dependencies,

ensuring a clean and reproducible environment.

Unlike npm i, npm ci ignores the package.json file, so it's important to

have an accurate lock

file to ensure consistent installations.

Key differences between npm i and npm ci:

npm i reads the package.json file and installs dependencies,

whereas npm ci relies on the package-lock.json or npm-shrinkwrap.json file

for deterministic installs.

npm i can update existing dependencies to their latest compatible versions,

whereas npm ci installs the exact versions specified in the lock file,

ensuring reproducibility.

npm ci is faster than npm i because it skips some unnecessary validation

steps and only installs dependencies based on the lock file.

In summary, npm i is generally used during development or when adding

new dependencies,

allowing for flexibility and updating to the latest compatible versions.

On the other hand, npm ci is typically used in CI/CD pipelines or

environments where

reproducibility and speed are crucial, as it ensures a clean and

consistent installation based on the lock file.