check-dependencies-before-running

name	check-dependencies-before-running
description	Use when about to run Node.js/npm commands in a project directory. Verify dependencies and module availability first to avoid MODULE_NOT_FOUND failures.
category	automation

Pre-Execution Dependency Verification

1. Before npm run, node script.ts, or require() calls, verify:
   • package.json exists in the current directory
   • node_modules/ folder exists
   • Required packages are in node_modules/ (quick ls node_modules | grep <pkg>)
2. For missing modules, run npm install before executing.
3. Check Node.js version compatibility if modules fail to load.
4. If errors persist, run npm ls to show dependency tree and identify conflicts.

Example verification: bash ls package.json node_modules/ 2>/dev/null || echo "MISSING DEPS" npm list 2>&1 | head -20

Anti-pattern: Running node script.ts without first confirming node_modules contains all required packages.