Node.js module install location -

is possible install node_module outside of node_modules folder?

for example: i'm trying install gulp , have gulp in separate folder in workspace

workspace |-gulp |-node_modules |  |- ... |  |- ... 

this possible, extremely ill-advised.

you hypothetically fork github repository , require('./gulp') instead of require('gulp') , doing give following fun , exciting challenges face:

• you no longer have power of semantic versioning available through npm. , consumers of application locked exact (and arbitrary) commit of gulp decide fork, and...

• you have make pull-request , updates application's gulp dependency.

• you have commit dependency project.¹ serves unnecessarily bloat application.

• when loading application onto remote service limited resources (such limitation of memory or disk space), you'd wasting valuable real-estate potential performance enhancements such caching, etc.

if of above okay you, means feel free organize application's structure way. no one's stopping you!

while you're @ it, urge checked head injuries well.

_{1. have never done before, assume you'd have purge .git directory within workspace/gulp before you'd able this, can hassle of own.}