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Is it possible to ignore searching the node_modules folder when using WebStorm's navigation pop-up window (Command + Shift + N)?

This makes it really annoying when wanting to quickly navigate to, for example, the package.json file.

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  • FYI. You could include directory names in pattern, see help Commented Aug 30, 2013 at 14:50

8 Answers 8

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To exclude the directory from being searched via navigation pop-up, pick node_modules directory in Project view, then from mouse context menu:

Mark Directory As -> Excluded

enter image description here

Directory could be restored via Preferences->Directories->Excluded Folders settings

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10 Comments

Yep, still the same in Webstorm 11.
Make sure your library references are setup properly if you do this. Otherwise Webstorm will no longer recognize functions and methods residing in node_modules. bit.ly/1J7XLD9
Works in IntelliJ as well
This recognizes type definitions, but not modules that augment them. For example importing rxj/Observable works, but it won't recognize Observable.map even if you import "node_modules/rxjs/add/operator/map.d.ts" explicitly.
Doesn't work with PHPStorm 2016.1.2, I try to ignore node_modules folder without success.
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In Webstorm 8, you need to also visit Settings > JavaScript > Libraries and disable Node.js core modules and node_modules. The directory exclusion will then work as before.

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11 Comments

This works for me. However, after I disable the Node.js dependencies, all the window variables got warning "Unresolved variable...". Any idea how to fix that?
@bizi I think you can manually add the libraries you do need back in settings and keep those you don't need out. Also it seems this no longer works for me - the node_modules library is added back after removal on restart...
When restarting WebStorm node_modules folder is again in Libriaries. Even if I remove it from there Webstorm is still indexing it so I restart, but node_modules folder is back in Libriaries. Is this a bug/feature? How to solve this. My pc is overheating because of this indexing.
@Hoto I am experiencing the same thing, but I know that WebStorm uses the info in node_modules to know which packages you have installed. This info is used in the "Node.js and NPM" section in your preferences. I think it is unavoidable as long as you keep the "Node" plugin enabled. Once you disable Node you can successfully keep the directory excluded. But then you no longer can run and debug Node code, and you no longer have access to the Node predefined globals, which will then show up as errors.
I still have this issue in WebStorm 10.0.3 - I can't seem to remove node_modules from my search index, even though it is an excluded folder.
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To exclude node_modules/ files from being searched in "Navigate | File..." popup and to avoid indexing node_modules/ folder, please perform these steps:

  1. Mark node_modules/ folder as excluded in Settings | Directories.

  2. Remove "<your project name> node_modules" library in Settings | Languages & Frameworks | JavaScript | Libraries.

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3 Comments

Thank you so much for this, I've been dying from the 20min long indexing in the larger projects
Thank you so much, it's finally better solution for me.
Doing number 2 is turning off syntax highlighting of members and methods that are defined in node_modules - I less recommend this.
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To exclude node_modules folder from all projects (only created after that change) you can add this folder to list of standard folders to ignore.

  1. Open PHPStorm, and close current project File > Close Project.

  2. On startup PHPStorm window click "Configure > Settings". enter image description here

  3. Then navigate to Build, Execution, Deployment > Deployment > Options.

  4. Now you can set node_modules or anyone else to exclude by default for all new projects. enter image description here

P.s. Closing the current project is very important. If you do this settings with active project, this will affect only current project.

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and don't forget to do it again for your CURRENT PROJECT once you re-open it.
The start up panel is now different in 2023. I don't see a Configure option in the new start up panel.
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Solution for those who has library imports not resolved after node_modules exclusion

As the accepted answer states, you should exclude node_modules folder, but then you'll get unresolved references for all stuff you import from your libraries. To resolve this issue you need to include explicitly node_modules folder to your list of libraries

enter image description here

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  1. Exclude the directory: Mark the directory itself as excluded (Right-Click -> Mark Directory As -> Excluded). It might then already disappear.
  2. Hide excluded files: Tick the project pane option (under the Gear-Wheel symbol) and un-tick Show Excluded Files to hide excluded directories
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I'm not sure why, but I saw lots of files with "spec" on Ctrl+Shift+n (I can't publish images, sorry :( )

I saw on the contextual menu over the node_modules: "Mark directory as": "excluded", "test sources root", "resources root"

I went to settings > directories, and I saw the node_modules with red color and can't change it, but, on the left there is list without header (?), I'm not sure if it is the exclude list, but, there is an X, I pushed on it, and restarted the IDE and it works!

If I see the contextual again, I see: "Mark directory as": "not exclude" and "test sources root". And in settings > directories I do not see on the lists, but red color on the folder node_modules (weird), I think it is so particular for this folder.

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While webstorm tries to keep indexing everything inside your project - while if its a node project - the indexing takes forever, the better ways to exclude the node folder from indexing as below.

Select folder -- Settings|Directories -> Use Exclude - button on folder

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