Microsoft Acquiring JavaScript Dev Platform npm, Will Integrate with GitHub
Microsoft has announced its intention to acquire npm Inc., a widely-used JavaScript repository, and integrate it into its collaborative software development platform, GitHub. While the financial details of the deal were not disclosed in GitHub CEO Nat Friedman’s blog post, he expressed GitHub’s excitement to contribute to the ongoing success of npm within the rapidly expanding JavaScript community.
Originally coined as “Node Package Manager” in 2009, npm was created as an open source project to facilitate the sharing of packaged code modules among JavaScript developers. The npm ecosystem comprises a command line client and an online database known as the npm Registry, housing both public and private packages. Currently, the npm Registry boasts over 1.3 million packages, with a remarkable 75 billion monthly downloads.
Friedman assured the community that GitHub’s investment would support the growth of the npm Registry and platform. Importantly, he affirmed the commitment to keeping the npm command-line interface free and open source. GitHub will also continue to provide support for users of npm Pro, Teams, and Enterprise products for private registry hosting.
GitHub’s CEO disclosed ongoing efforts to integrate npm packages with GitHub Packages, with plans to facilitate the migration of private npm packages to GitHub Packages later in the year. Isaac Z. Schlueter, npm’s Chief Open Technology Officer, echoed these sentiments in a separate blog post, emphasizing the strategic and technical synergy between GitHub and npm.
Despite Microsoft’s 2018 acquisition of GitHub for $7.5 billion in stock, the company has maintained GitHub’s status as an open platform operating independently. GitHub claims to support a vast community of over 28 million developers.
Microsoft has announced its intention to acquire npm Inc., a widely-used JavaScript repository, and integrate it into its collaborative software development platform, GitHub. While the financial details of the deal were not disclosed in GitHub CEO Nat Friedman’s blog post, he expressed GitHub’s excitement to contribute to the ongoing success of npm within the rapidly…