---
title: npm-prune
section: 1
description: Remove extraneous packages
---

### Synopsis

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### Description

This command removes "extraneous" packages.
If a package name is provided, then only packages matching one of the supplied names are removed.

Extraneous packages are those present in the `node_modules` folder that are not listed as any package's dependency list.

If the `--omit=dev` flag is specified or the `NODE_ENV` environment variable is set to `production`, this command will remove the packages specified in your `devDependencies`.

If the `--dry-run` flag is used then no changes will actually be made.

If the `--json` flag is used, then the changes `npm prune` made (or would have made with `--dry-run`) are printed as a JSON object.

In normal operation, extraneous modules are pruned automatically, so you'll only need this command with the `--production` flag.
However, in the real world, operation is not always "normal".  When crashes or mistakes happen, this command can help clean up any resulting garbage.

### Configuration

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### See Also

* [npm uninstall](/commands/npm-uninstall)
* [npm folders](/configuring-npm/folders)
* [npm ls](/commands/npm-ls)