13 · Environments & Packaging
node_modules
Where installed packages live
The usual folder for installed JavaScript dependencies. It is normally generated from the package manifest and lockfile and excluded from Git, though specialized repositories may intentionally vendor dependencies.
Concrete example
When a setup breaks, deleting node_modules and reinstalling often fixes it — it regenerates from scratch.
Why it matters
Famously enormous — it's the first thing every project adds to .gitignore.