npm install
Install the dependencies declared in package.json. npm resolves versions using package-lock.json and creates the generated node_modules/ directory.
npm install does not universally “install development tools.” Its exact result depends on the current project’s manifest.
npm run dev
Run the project’s dev script—Vite in this example. Script names are shortcuts defined by the project author.
{
"scripts": {
"dev": "vite",
"build": "vite build",
"preview": "vite preview"
}
}Vite’s development job
Vite serves source modules locally and quickly applies changes while you work. The development server is a tool for authors, not the production site.
Vite’s production job
npm run build resolves imports, processes assets, minifies code and writes deployable static output to dist/.
| Command | Project-defined result |
|---|---|
npm install | Install declared dependencies |
npm run dev | Run Vite locally in this project |
npm run build | Create this project’s production output |