Using socket.io and express modules without npm

Question

I am working on a project for an embedded Linux system (busybox made with buildroot). I am wondering if it is possible to use node.js modules socket.io and express without having to install or run npm . The goal is to be able to have buildroot configured to create a busybox image that simply includes node.js, and then place all my javascript files in the proper directory and execute node app.js from the command line to run the node application (which will use socket.io and express ).

So, for example on my development machine (That does have node.js and npm installed), I could run npm install socket.io so it would get socket.io and all its dependencies and install it in the node_modules directory of my project. If I place all those files in a directory and move them to the production environment (embedded Linux with just node.js installed and where npm install socket.io was never run) would my application work?

Answer 1

If I place all those files in a directory and move them to the production environment would my application work?

Yes, it would. However, if you do have any binary dependencies, they need to be recompiled, so it's a bit trickier. If you don't, you'll be fine.