Dependencies:
1. What is it?
- Dependencies are external libraries or modules that are required for a project to run successfully. They are typically specified in the project's package.json file and installed using a package manager like npm (Node Package Manager) or Yarn.
2. How is it used?
- Dependencies are used by the project's codebase to implement core functionality. They are imported or required within the code and utilized to perform specific tasks or provide certain features.
3. Why is it needed?
- Dependencies are essential for ensuring that the project can function as intended. They provide access to pre-written code that addresses common tasks or requirements, saving developers time and effort in building everything from scratch.
Dev-Dependencies:
1. What is it?
- Dev-dependencies are dependencies that are only needed for development and testing purposes. They are not required for the production environment and are typically used for tasks like testing, linting, compiling, or building the project.
2. How is it used?
- Dev-dependencies are specified separately from regular dependencies in the project's package.json file. They are installed alongside regular dependencies but are typically excluded when deploying the project to a production environment.
3. Why is it needed?
- Dev-dependencies are necessary for facilitating the development and testing workflow. They include tools and libraries that assist developers in writing, testing, and debugging code, ensuring code quality, and optimizing the build process. Separating dev-dependencies from regular dependencies helps keep the production environment leaner and ensures that only necessary dependencies are included.