When to use "npm start" and when to use "ng serve"?

📝 Blog Post: When to Use 'npm start' and When to Use 'ng serve'?

Are you confused about when to use 'npm start' and when to use 'ng serve' while working on your Angular projects? Don't worry, you're not alone. In this blog post, we will demystify this common question and help you understand the differences between the two commands, along with the scenarios in which they should be used.

First, let's understand what each command actually does:

🔹 ng serve: This command serves an Angular project via a development server. It is used to compile the TypeScript code, bundle the application, and launch a local server to run the application. The development server provides live-reload functionality, which means any changes you make to your code will automatically be reflected in the browser without manually refreshing the page.

🔹 npm start: This command runs an arbitrary command specified in the package's "start" property of its "scripts" object. If no "start" property is specified, it will run the 'node server.js' command by default. Essentially, 'npm start' is a generic command to start your project, and it can be customized to perform any required actions.

Now that we have a basic understanding of both commands, let's dive into when to use each one:

1️⃣ Use ng serve when:

• You are working on an Angular project.

• You want to compile and run your code locally for development and testing purposes.

• You need automatic live-reload functionality to see instant changes in the browser.

2️⃣ Use npm start when:

• You have a non-Angular project or a project that requires additional setup or custom scripts.

• You need to start your project but don't necessarily require the live-reload functionality.

• You want to execute specific commands defined in the package's "start" property.

It's important to note that 'ng serve' is specifically designed for Angular projects and provides additional benefits like faster rebuild times, optimized bundling, and the Angular CLI's rich development features. On the other hand, 'npm start' is a more general command that can be used in any project, not just Angular.

Now that you know when to use each command, here's a bonus tip for you:

If you want to run both 'ng serve' and 'npm start' simultaneously, you can leverage the functionality of NPM's concurrent command. Simply edit your "scripts" object in the package.json file as follows:

"scripts": {
  "start": "concurrently \"ng serve\" \"npm run custom:start\"",
  "custom:start": "node server.js"
}

With this configuration, running 'npm start' will start both 'ng serve' and the custom script 'node server.js' concurrently.

We hope this guide has shed light on when to use 'npm start' and 'ng serve'. If you still have any doubts or questions, feel free to drop a comment below. Happy coding! 😄💻

✨📣 Call-to-Action: Have you ever found yourself confused between 'npm start' and 'ng serve'? Share your experience in the comments below and let's start a discussion! 💬👇