---
title: npm-uninstall
section: 1
description: Remove a package
---

### Synopsis

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```bash
npm uninstall [<@scope>/]<pkg>...

aliases: unlink, remove, rm, r, un
```

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### Description

This uninstalls a package, completely removing everything npm installed
on its behalf.

It also removes the package from the `dependencies`, `devDependencies`,
`optionalDependencies`, and `peerDependencies` objects in your
`package.json`.

Further, if you have an `npm-shrinkwrap.json` or `package-lock.json`, npm
will update those files as well.

`--no-save` will tell npm not to remove the package from your
`package.json`, `npm-shrinkwrap.json`, or `package-lock.json` files.

`--save` or `-S` will tell npm to remove the package from your
`package.json`, `npm-shrinkwrap.json`, and `package-lock.json` files.
This is the default, but you may need to use this if you have for
instance `save=false` in your `npmrc` file

In global mode (ie, with `-g` or `--global` appended to the command),
it uninstalls the current package context as a global package.
`--no-save` is ignored in this case.

Scope is optional and follows the usual rules for [`scope`](/using-npm/scope).

### Examples

```bash
npm uninstall sax
```

`sax` will no longer be in your `package.json`, `npm-shrinkwrap.json`, or
`package-lock.json` files.

```bash
npm uninstall lodash --no-save
```

`lodash` will not be removed from your `package.json`,
`npm-shrinkwrap.json`, or `package-lock.json` files.

### Configuration

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#### `save`

* Default: `true` unless when using `npm update` where it defaults to `false`
* Type: Boolean

Save installed packages to a `package.json` file as dependencies.

When used with the `npm rm` command, removes the dependency from
`package.json`.

Will also prevent writing to `package-lock.json` if set to `false`.

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#### `workspace`

* Default:
* Type: String (can be set multiple times)

Enable running a command in the context of the configured workspaces of the
current project while filtering by running only the workspaces defined by
this configuration option.

Valid values for the `workspace` config are either:

* Workspace names
* Path to a workspace directory
* Path to a parent workspace directory (will result in selecting all
  workspaces within that folder)

When set for the `npm init` command, this may be set to the folder of a
workspace which does not yet exist, to create the folder and set it up as a
brand new workspace within the project.

This value is not exported to the environment for child processes.

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#### `workspaces`

* Default: null
* Type: null or Boolean

Set to true to run the command in the context of **all** configured
workspaces.

Explicitly setting this to false will cause commands like `install` to
ignore workspaces altogether. When not set explicitly:

- Commands that operate on the `node_modules` tree (install, update, etc.)
will link workspaces into the `node_modules` folder. - Commands that do
other things (test, exec, publish, etc.) will operate on the root project,
_unless_ one or more workspaces are specified in the `workspace` config.

This value is not exported to the environment for child processes.

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#### `include-workspace-root`

* Default: false
* Type: Boolean

Include the workspace root when workspaces are enabled for a command.

When false, specifying individual workspaces via the `workspace` config, or
all workspaces via the `workspaces` flag, will cause npm to operate only on
the specified workspaces, and not on the root project.

This value is not exported to the environment for child processes.

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#### `install-links`

* Default: true
* Type: Boolean

When set file: protocol dependencies that exist outside of the project root
will be packed and installed as regular dependencies instead of creating a
symlink. This option has no effect on workspaces.

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### See Also

* [npm prune](/commands/npm-prune)
* [npm install](/commands/npm-install)
* [npm folders](/configuring-npm/folders)
* [npm config](/commands/npm-config)
* [npmrc](/configuring-npm/npmrc)
