How to Clean Up npm and Migrate to Yarn

Sometimes during development, we might accidentally mix package managers in a project. This can happen when running npm install in a project that's already using Yarn, or vice versa. In this article, I'll show you how to clean up this situation and ensure your project uses only one package manager.

The Problem

When you have files from both package managers (package-lock.json from npm and yarn.lock from Yarn) in the same project, it can cause:

• Dependency conflicts
• Deployment issues (especially on Vercel)
• Development environment inconsistencies
• Confusion for other developers

The Solution

I'll show you the step-by-step process to clean up the project and migrate to Yarn:

1. Remove npm Files

First, we need to remove the npm-specific files:

rm -rf node_modules package-lock.json

This command removes:

• The node_modules folder (which will be reinstalled)
• The package-lock.json file (npm-specific)

2. Reinstall Dependencies with Yarn

Now, let's reinstall all dependencies using Yarn:

yarn install

This command will:

• Read the package.json
• Install all dependencies
• Generate a clean new yarn.lock

3. Commit Changes

After cleaning up, it's important to commit the changes to Git:

git add .
git commit -m "chore: remove npm files and reinstall dependencies with yarn"

4. Push to Repository

Finally, send the changes to the remote repository:

git push

Benefits of Migration

By using only Yarn, you'll have:

• Consistent dependency management
• Better deployment performance
• Avoid conflicts between different package managers
• Clearer documentation for other developers

Useful Yarn Commands

Here are some common Yarn commands you can use:

• yarn add [package] - Install a new dependency
• yarn remove [package] - Remove a dependency
• yarn dev - Run the project in development mode
• yarn build - Create production build
• yarn test - Run tests

Conclusion

Maintaining a project using only one package manager is a good development practice. It avoids compatibility issues and makes the project easier to maintain. If you're already using Yarn, stay committed to it and avoid mixing with npm.

Remember: consistency is the key to smoother development and more reliable deployments.