using local less with npm - npm

Question

Are there any established patterns for running less via npm scripts?
for instance, in my package.json file I have:
{
"name": "lesstest",
"description": "less test",
"main": "dist/index.js",
"scripts": {
"build:css": "./node_modules/less/bin/lessc src/less/app.less dist/style.css"
},
"devDependencies": {
"less": "^2.6.0",
}
}
running:
./node_modules/less/bin/lessc src/less/app.less dist/style.css
from terminal works just fine, but when I run
npm run build:css
I get " '.' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file. " Does this mean that commands in npm scripts cannot include paths? If so, are there any techniques out there to execute a similar intention without using gulp?

Answer 1

You can just use "lessc src/less/app.less dist/style.css"
By default, package.json looks in your node_modules folder, and if it can't find it, looks elsewhere, so you can safely use a downloaded dependency as if you had globally installed it.

Answer 2

I just want to clarify #JRJurman's answer a bit. You can use lessc like this:
{
"name": "lesstest",
"description": "less test",
"scripts": {
"build:css": "lessc src/less/app.less > dist/style.css"
},
"devDependencies": {
"less": "^3.0.0",
}
}
As a more comprehensive pattern for less in npm: You often need to also integrate less file dependencies. The package.json would look like this:
{
"name": "lesstest",
"description": "less test",
"scripts": {
"build:css": "lessc src/less/app.less > dist/style.css"
},
"devDependencies": {
"less": "^3.0.0",
},
"dependencies": {
"#foo/bar": "^1.0.0"
}
}
and in your local baz.less file you would refer to the dependency like this:
#import "#foo/bar/src/a-less-file";
#foo refers to the respective folder within your node_modules
folder and bar/src are the nested folders.
a-less-file refers
to a-less-file.less within your node_modules/#foo/bar/src