npm: “--save”-flag necessary to write dependencies to “package.json”?

Question

Is the "--save"-flag really necessary to write an installed dependency to the "package.json"-file.

I have tried it out without the "save"-flag and the package was afterward nevertheless within the "dependencies"-section. So the adding seem to be default-behaviour.

So, therefore my question: What benefit provides the standard "save"? Or can one leave it as well ?

Not the "save-dev". That's clear to me.

Answer 1

As of npm 5.0.0 , installed modules are added as a dependency by default, so the --save option is no longer needed. The other save options still exist and are listed in the documentation for npm install .