What should I do if my React install seems corrupted?
Delete node_modules and the lockfile, then run npm install again. This regenerates a clean dependency tree and fixes most corrupted-state issues, similar to restarting a misbehaving system.
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More FAQs in What Are node_modules and Why Do They Bloat Your React Project?
It is the folder where npm installs every package your project depends on, plus all of their dependencies recursively. It is generated from package.json and the lockfile by running npm install.
Because packages depend on other packages. A few dependencies in package.json expand into a deep tree of transitive dependencies, which results in thousands of files and a large folder on disk.
No. node_modules is large and fully reproducible from package.json and the lockfile. Add it to .gitignore. Committing it bloats the repository and causes merge conflicts.
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