npm-which

3.0.1 verified Sat Apr 25 auth: no javascript

Locates executables from locally or parent-installed node modules, similar to `which` but respecting npm's PATH. Version 3.0.1 is stable with no recent releases. Key differentiator: it is faster than shelling out to `npm bin` and works across the node_modules hierarchy, not just the current directory. Supports both async and sync APIs, and a CLI. Requires Node >=4.2.0, no runtime dependencies.

Common errors

error TypeError: which is not a function ↓

cause Calling the imported package as a function without providing cwd first.

fix

const which = require('npm-which')(cwd); then which(name);

error Error: cwd is required ↓

cause Calling require('npm-which')() without arguments.

fix

Pass a cwd string: require('npm-which')(__dirname);

error Error: Cannot find module 'tape' ↓

cause The executable is not installed in any node_modules in the hierarchy.

fix

Install the package locally: npm install tape; or ensure it is in a parent node_modules.

error npm-which: command not found ↓

cause The package is not installed globally.

fix

npm install -g npm-which

Warnings

breaking v2 removed the default export of a string; you must call require('npm-which')(cwd) to get the which function. ↓

fix Use require('npm-which')(cwd) instead of require('npm-which').

deprecated Passing cwd as second argument (options.cwd) is deprecated in favor of supplying it to the factory function. ↓

fix Call npmWhich(cwd) instead of npmWhich()(name, {cwd}).

gotcha cwd is required. If omitted, the function throws an error. ↓

fix Always provide cwd: const which = require('npm-which')(process.cwd());

gotcha The package does not search global node_modules; only local hierarchy. ↓

fix Use which(1) for global executables.

gotcha The function returns the first match, not all matches. ↓

fix For multiple results, consider a different tool or iterate over PATH manually.

Install

npm install npm-which

yarn add npm-which

pnpm add npm-which

Imports

npmWhich
wrong
```
const npmWhich = require('npm-which')
```
correct
```
import npmWhich from 'npm-which'
```
Package is CommonJS but can be imported with ESM syntax in modern Node. The default export is a function.

sync

wrong

import { sync } from 'npm-which'

correct

const which = require('npm-which')(cwd); const result = which.sync(name)

sync is a method on the instance, not a named export.

async
wrong
```
import { async } from 'npm-which'
```
correct
```
const which = require('npm-which')(cwd); which(name, callback)
```
The default export returns a function that can be called with a callback for async usage.

Quickstart

Shows programmatic usage (async and sync) and CLI invocation.

import npmWhich from 'npm-which';

const cwd = process.cwd();
const which = npmWhich(cwd);

// Async
which('tape', (err, path) => {
  if (err) console.error(err.message);
  else console.log(path);
});

// Sync
const pathToTape = which.sync('tape');
console.log(pathToTape);

// CLI: npm-which tape