After utilizing Node.js and npm for a few weeks with success, I've begun to question the best practice for installing local modules. Despite understanding the Global vs Local argument, my concern is more about where to store a local install. For example, if my project is located at ~/ProjectA/ and is collaborated on by multiple developers, where should local modules be placed? Initially, I simply installed the necessary modules in a default terminal, resulting in an installation path of ~/node_modules. This forced other developers to also install the modules on their own machines in order to run the application. Surprisingly, some developers were able to run the app without any issues after running npm install, which may be related to how Node.js and require() function.
Now that the project is progressing beyond experimentation, I want to set up the project folder correctly. Should the modules be installed at ~/ProjectA/node_modules and included in the version controlled files, or should they remain at a developer-specific location? Or does it not make much difference? I'm seeking "best-practice" advice and insights on how others handle setting up projects.