How to open terminal

It depends on the kind of project. A Cloud project runs on its own computer and has a real terminal. A browser project runs in your browser tab, where there is no terminal - you manage packages through a panel instead.

Cloud projects: yes

A Cloud project has its own Linux computer, so you can open a terminal on it from the project menu and run commands as you would anywhere else. There are two computers - the one you build on and the one your published app runs on - and each has its own terminal. See What is a Cloud project.

Browser projects: no

A browser project runs entirely in your browser tab. There is no machine to open a terminal on, so package management happens through a visual panel instead. The rest of this article covers that.

Managing packages without a terminal

Instead of running npm install in a terminal, Playcode provides the NPM PACKAGES panel in the sidebar.

To install a package:

1. Find the NPM PACKAGES section in the left sidebar.
2. Click the plus (+) icon.
3. Type the package name.
4. Select the version.
5. The package installs automatically.

To remove a package:

1. Go to the NPM PACKAGES section.
2. Click the three dots (...) next to the package.
3. Select Delete.

For a complete guide, see How to add NPM packages.

What about package.json?

Playcode does not automatically install dependencies from package.json. You need to manually install each package using the NPM PACKAGES panel or let Playcode auto-install them when you import them in your code.