npm-quick-run
Quickly run npm scripts by prefix without typing the full name, using aliases like 'nr t' for 'npm run test'.
What is npm-quick-run?
npm-quick-run is a command-line utility that allows developers to execute npm scripts using short prefixes instead of typing the full script name. It solves the problem of repetitive typing in projects with many npm scripts by enabling commands like 'nr t' to run 'npm run test'. The tool supports interactive mode, multi-word scripts, and argument passing for flexible usage.
Node.js developers and teams who frequently run npm scripts during development, testing, or build processes and want to reduce typing overhead.
Developers choose npm-quick-run for its simplicity and time-saving benefits—it requires minimal setup, works cross-platform, and integrates seamlessly into existing npm workflows without configuration changes.
Overview
Quickly run NPM script by prefix without typing the full name
Use Cases
Best For
- Running npm scripts with minimal typing in large projects
- Quickly executing test or lint scripts during development
- Managing projects with many hyphenated or namespaced npm scripts
- Improving command-line efficiency for frequent npm script users
- Reducing keystrokes in continuous integration or local development workflows
- Interactive script selection when multiple scripts share prefixes
Not Ideal For
- Projects with only a handful of npm scripts where full names are trivial to type
- Developers who rely on advanced shell-specific autocompletion (e.g., zsh or bash completions) they've already customized
- Environments where global npm package installations are restricted or discouraged due to security policies
Pros & Cons
Pros
Allows running scripts with minimal keystrokes—e.g., 'nr t' for 'test'—reducing typing overhead, as demonstrated in the README examples for common workflows.
The '-i' flag provides a menu when multiple scripts match, preventing errors and improving usability, shown in the animated GIF in the README.
Implemented in JavaScript, not shell-specific, ensuring it works on any platform, unlike similar tools like nrun that rely on shell scripts, as noted in the README.
Supports scripts with colons or hyphens by matching each word's prefix, e.g., 'nr c-r' for 'cypress:run', making complex script names manageable without full typing.
Cons
In projects with many similarly prefixed scripts, users must type longer prefixes or use interactive mode, which can negate the time-saving benefits and lead to frustration.
Must be installed globally via 'npm install -g', which can be a barrier in environments with restricted permissions or when preferring local tool management per project.
Only works with npm scripts, so it doesn't assist with other CLI tasks or non-npm workflows, restricting its utility in mixed tooling environments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
ntlNode Task List: Interactive cli to list and run package.json scripts
ForrestAn npm scripts desktop client
run-npmRun locally-installed node module executables.
screwyThe npm scripts GUI
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