Using pnpx (with examples)
Use Case 1: Execute the binary from a given npm module
pnpx module_name
Motivation: This use case allows you to directly execute a binary from a specific npm module, without having to install it globally or add it to the project dependencies. It provides a convenient way to run command-line tools provided by npm packages.
Explanation: pnpx allows you to execute binaries from npm packages without having to install them globally. By specifying the module_name, pnpx will look for the binary in the specified module and execute it.
Example Output: Suppose you want to use the http-server package to quickly serve static files from a local directory. Instead of installing it globally or adding it to your project dependencies, you can simply run pnpx http-server to start the server and serve the files.
Use Case 2: Execute a specific binary from a given npm module
pnpx --package package_name module_name
Motivation: Some npm modules may have multiple binaries available. In this case, you can specify the package_name to execute a specific binary from that module.
Explanation: By adding the --package flag followed by the package_name, pnpx will use the specified package as the context for executing the binary specified by module_name. This is useful when multiple binaries are available within a single npm module.
Example Output: Suppose you have the typescript package installed, which provides multiple binaries such as tsc and tsserver. To execute the tsc binary without having to install TypeScript globally or adding it to your project dependencies, you can run pnpx --package typescript tsc.
Use Case 3: Display help
pnpx --help
Motivation: The --help option provides a quick way to get information about the usage and available options of the pnpx command.
Explanation: Adding the --help option to the pnpx command will display the help message, which includes the available options and their descriptions. This can be useful when you need a reminder of how to use pnpx or want to explore the available features.
Example Output: Running pnpx --help will display the help message, which includes the usage information, available options, and their descriptions. It provides a comprehensive overview of how to use pnpx effectively.
By leveraging pnpx, you can easily execute binaries from npm packages without the need for global installations or adding the packages to your project dependencies. This article has demonstrated different use cases of the pnpx command, including executing a binary from a given npm module, executing a specific binary from a module with multiple binaries, and displaying the help message. With these examples, you now have the knowledge to efficiently utilize pnpx for your projects.
