npm-install-scripts

npm command-line interface

# npm-install-scripts @11.19.1

Manage install-script approvals for dependencies

## Table of contents

- Synopsis
- Description
- Examples
- Configuration

- `all`
- `allow-scripts-pin`
- `dry-run`
- `json`

- See Also

### Synopsis

    npm install-scripts approve <pkg> [<pkg> ...]
    npm install-scripts approve --all
    npm install-scripts deny <pkg> [<pkg> ...]
    npm install-scripts deny --all
    npm install-scripts ls
    npm install-scripts prune

Note: This command is unaware of workspaces.

### Description

Manages the `allowScripts` field in your project's `package.json`, which records which of your dependencies are permitted to run install scripts (`preinstall`, `install`, `postinstall`, and `prepare` for non-registry sources). This is the recommended way to maintain that field.

Dependency install scripts are blocked by default. Install commands silently skip lifecycle scripts for any dependency that does not have a matching entry in `allowScripts`, and end with a list of the packages whose scripts were skipped so you can review them here.

This command only works inside a project that has a `package.json`. Running it with `--global` (`-g`) fails with an `EGLOBAL` error, since global installs (`npm install -g`) and one-off executions (`npm exec` / `npx`) have no project `package.json` to write to. To allow install scripts in those contexts, use the `--allow-scripts` flag at install time (for example `npm install -g --allow-scripts=canvas,sharp`) or persist the setting with `npm config set allow-scripts=canvas,sharp --location=user`.

There are four subcommands:

    npm install-scripts approve <pkg> [<pkg> ...]
    npm install-scripts approve --all
    npm install-scripts deny <pkg> [<pkg> ...]
    npm install-scripts deny --all
    npm install-scripts ls
    npm install-scripts prune

`approve` allows install scripts for the named packages. `<pkg>` matches every installed version of that package. By default it writes pinned entries (`pkg@1.2.3`), which keep their approval narrowed to the specific version you reviewed. Pass `--no-allow-scripts-pin` to write name-only entries that allow any future version. `--all` approves every package with unreviewed install scripts in one go.

`deny` records an explicit denial for the named packages (a name-only `false` entry), which survives `npm install-scripts approve --all` and excludes the package from any future blanket approval. `--all` denies every package with unreviewed install scripts.

`ls` is read-only: it lists every package whose install scripts are not yet covered by `allowScripts`, without modifying `package.json`.

`prune` removes `allowScripts` entries that no longer match an installed package with an install script, either because the package is no longer installed (a transitive dependency changed, or a pinned `pkg@1.2.3` was upgraded) or because it no longer has an install script. Both approvals (`true`) and denials (`false`) are removed. It edits only the `allowScripts` field in `package.json`, never `.npmrc` or `--allow-scripts`. Pass `--dry-run` to preview without writing. Unparseable keys are left alone.

`approve` honours the asymmetric pin rule: if you re-approve a package whose installed version has changed, the existing pin is rewritten to track the new installed version. Multi-version statements (`pkg@1 || 2`) are left alone, since they likely capture intent that the command cannot infer. Existing `false` entries always win; `approve` will not silently re-allow a package you previously denied.

The standalone commands `npm approve-scripts` and `npm deny-scripts` are aliases for `npm install-scripts approve` and `npm install-scripts deny`.

### Examples

    # Approve all currently-installed install scripts after reviewing them
    npm install-scripts approve --all

    # Approve specific packages, pinned to their installed version
    npm install-scripts approve canvas sharp

    # Deny a package so it stays blocked
    npm install-scripts deny telemetry-pkg

    # Preview which packages still need review
    npm install-scripts ls

    # Preview stale allowScripts entries, then remove them
    npm install-scripts prune --dry-run
    npm install-scripts prune

### Configuration

#### `all`

- Default: false
- Type: Boolean

Show or act on all packages, not just the ones your project directly depends on. For `npm outdated` and `npm ls` this lists every outdated or installed package. For `npm approve-scripts` and `npm deny-scripts` it selects every package with pending install scripts.

#### `allow-scripts-pin`

- Default: true
- Type: Boolean

Write pinned (`pkg@version`) entries when approving install scripts. Set to `false` to write name-only entries that allow any version. Has no effect on `npm deny-scripts`, which always writes name-only entries regardless of this setting.

#### `dry-run`

- Default: false
- Type: Boolean

Indicates that you don't want npm to make any changes and that it should only report what it would have done. This can be passed into any of the commands that modify your local installation, eg, `install`, `update`, `dedupe`, `uninstall`, as well as `pack` and `publish`.

Note: This is NOT honored by other network related commands, eg `dist-tags`, `owner`, etc.

#### `json`

- Default: false
- Type: Boolean

Whether or not to output JSON data, rather than the normal output.

- In `npm pkg set` it enables parsing set values with JSON.parse() before saving them to your `package.json`.

Not supported by all npm commands.

### See Also

- npm approve-scripts
- npm deny-scripts
- npm install
- npm rebuild
- package.json