How to Download an NPM Package Online Free

Downloading Javascript packages from the NPM registry typically requires using the command line interface (CLI) with tools like npm or yarn. However, there are many scenarios where you might need to download the raw package files directly to your computer without installing them into a project.

Why Download extracted packages?

Code Inspection: Review the source code before adding a dependency to your project.
Offline Access: Save packages for use in air-gapped or low-connectivity environments.
Manual Installation: Use a library in a non-Node.js project or legacy system.

Method 1: Using NPM Downloader (Recommended)

The easiest way to get the files is by using a dedicated web tool like this one. It handles the API requests and conversion for you.

Go to the NPM Downloader Home Page.
Enter the package name (e.g., express) or paste the full NPM URL.
Click Download .tgz to get the standard tarball.
Or, click Download .zip to have the files extracted and converted to a friendly ZIP format right in your browser.

This method supports specific versions (e.g., react@16.8.0) and scoped packages (e.g., @types/node).

Try NPM Downloader Now

Method 2: Direct Registry URL

If you prefer a manual approach, you can construct the URL yourself if you know the exact version.

The format is: https://registry.npmjs.org/[package-name]/-/[package-name]-[version].tgz

For example: https://registry.npmjs.org/react/-/react-18.2.0.tgz

Note that this method only gives you a .tgz file, which you will need software like 7-Zip or tar to extract.

Conclusion

While the command line is great for automation, web-based tools provide a quick and free way to access NPM packages directly. Whether you need to audit code or just grab a library for a quick prototype, our free online NPM downloader is here to help.