title: Best workflow using node.js npm and git
body: <p>I am about to do a large project with node.js and currently try sort a few things out.</p>
  
  <p>In earlier node projects I had an extra folder for all node modules I used. This folder was ignored by git and I managed version and updates via git submodules, which was not easy (no dependencies, updating to new version was not always fun.)</p>
  
  <p>What I am looking for is:</p>
  
  <p><code>npm install packagename</code><br>
  <code>npm dump_modules_into_file</code></p>
  
  <p>So everyone else who is involved in this project could do:</p>
  
  <p><code>npm install_or_update_modules_from_file</code></p>
  
  <p>I don not want to have <code>node_modules</code> tracked by my git repository. Basically I want something similar to how symonfy2 handles it <a href="http://symfony.com/doc/2.0/cookbook/workflow/new_project_git.html" rel="noreferrer" title="bundles">bundles</a>.</p>
  
  <p>P.S.: I know about <code>npm submodule packagename</code>, but this command is not very helpful because it does not install dependencies and it does not update the modules.</p>
  
  <p>P.S.2: I ready about the <code>package.json</code>, but this also has some flaws. (No parameters and you have to update module versions by hand.)</p>