freeCodeCamp/guide/english/certifications/apis-and-microservices/managing-packages-with-npm/expand-your-project-with-external-packages-from-npm/index.md

---
title: Expand Your Project with External Packages from npm
---
# Expand Your Project with External Packages from npm

---
## Problem Explanation

The `package.json` file in the root directory of your project, among other things, lists all the dependencies that your project needs in order to work, are listed under the `dependencies` key in that file and follow a similar convention as given below:

```json
"dependencies": {
    "express": "^4.16.4",
    "helmet": "^3.14.0"
  },
```

There might be additional peer dependencies or development dependencies that your project might need in case it has to be built or compiled due to a number of reasons currently outside the scope of this challenge. They are listed under the `peerDependecies` and `devDependencies` respectively.
fix: change directory structure 2018-10-12 15:37:13 -04:00			`---`
			`title: Expand Your Project with External Packages from npm`
			`---`
fix(guide): restructure curriculum guide articles (#36501) * fix: restructure certifications guide articles * fix: added 3 dashes line before prob expl * fix: added 3 dashes line before hints * fix: added 3 dashes line before solutions 2019-07-24 00:59:27 -07:00			`# Expand Your Project with External Packages from npm`
fix: change directory structure 2018-10-12 15:37:13 -04:00
fix(guide): restructure curriculum guide articles (#36501) * fix: restructure certifications guide articles * fix: added 3 dashes line before prob expl * fix: added 3 dashes line before hints * fix: added 3 dashes line before solutions 2019-07-24 00:59:27 -07:00			`---`
			`## Problem Explanation`
Expanded guides for some APIs and Microservices challenges and fixed links to the source files (#36131) * Expanded the solution for the 'Get Route Parameter Input from the Client' challenge * Expanded the guide for the 'Use body-parser to Parse POST Requests' challenge * Rewritten guide for the 'Serve JSON on a Specific Route' challenge and fixed source link * Expanded the guide for the 'Serve Static Assets' challenge * Expanded solution to the 'Get Query Parameter Input from the Client' challenge and fixed links to source file * Added solution to the 'Chain Middleware to Create a Time Server' challenge and fixed link to source file * Rewrite the 'Start a Working Express Server' challenge * Expanded the guide for 'Expand Your Project with External Packages from npm' * Added reference to semantic versioning in 'Add a Version to Your package.json' * fix/remove-links+fix-solutions * fix/remove-more-links 2019-07-02 07:05:15 +05:30
			The `package.json` file in the root directory of your project, among other things, lists all the dependencies that your project needs in order to work, are listed under the `dependencies` key in that file and follow a similar convention as given below:
fix: change directory structure 2018-10-12 15:37:13 -04:00
fix(guide) Replace invalid prism code block names (#35961) * fix: replace sh with shell fix replace terminal with shell fix replace node with js fix replace output with shell fix replace cs with csharp fix replace c++ with cpp fix replace c# with csharp fix replace javasctipt with js fix replace syntax with js fix replace unix with shell fix replace linux with shell fix replace java 8 with java fix replace swift4 with swift fix replace react.js with jsx fix replace javascriot with js fix replace javacsript with js fix replace c++ - with cpp fix: corrected various typos fix: replace Algorithm with nothing fix: replace xaml with xml fix: replace solidity with nothing fix: replace c++ with cpp fix: replace txt with shell fix: replace code with json and css fix: replace console with shell 2019-05-15 10:08:19 -07:00			```json
Added a version code example for package.json (#25499) 2019-01-15 13:56:30 -08:00			`"dependencies": {`
			`"express": "^4.16.4",`
			`"helmet": "^3.14.0"`
			`},`
			```
fix: change directory structure 2018-10-12 15:37:13 -04:00
Expanded guides for some APIs and Microservices challenges and fixed links to the source files (#36131) * Expanded the solution for the 'Get Route Parameter Input from the Client' challenge * Expanded the guide for the 'Use body-parser to Parse POST Requests' challenge * Rewritten guide for the 'Serve JSON on a Specific Route' challenge and fixed source link * Expanded the guide for the 'Serve Static Assets' challenge * Expanded solution to the 'Get Query Parameter Input from the Client' challenge and fixed links to source file * Added solution to the 'Chain Middleware to Create a Time Server' challenge and fixed link to source file * Rewrite the 'Start a Working Express Server' challenge * Expanded the guide for 'Expand Your Project with External Packages from npm' * Added reference to semantic versioning in 'Add a Version to Your package.json' * fix/remove-links+fix-solutions * fix/remove-more-links 2019-07-02 07:05:15 +05:30			There might be additional peer dependencies or development dependencies that your project might need in case it has to be built or compiled due to a number of reasons currently outside the scope of this challenge. They are listed under the `peerDependecies` and `devDependencies` respectively.