Add Funding Links to Your 'package.json'

5 min read

Sep 22, 2024

Fund your open-source project by adding funding links to your package.json file. Who knows, you might get a coffee or two out of it!

Funding Open-Source Projects?

If you’re not new to the content of Open {re}Source, you know a thing or two about the importance of financing and funding open-source projects. The time and effort that maintainers put into their projects are invaluable, and it’s essential to support them in any way possible.

Supporting open-source projects can be as simple as starring a repository, contributing to the codebase, or even providing financial support. The latter can be done through platforms like GitHub Sponsors, Open Collective, or even through direct donations.

Packages Are Looking for Funding

Have you ever noticed the funding information displayed when you run the npm i command in your terminal?

% npm install

247 packages are looking for funding
  run `npm fund` for details

You Can Turn It Off, by the Way

If you’re not a fan of the funding information displayed when installing packages, you can turn it off by setting the --no-fund flag when running the npm install command.

You can also set it as a default behavior by running npm config set fund false.

Or you can turn it off in your .npmrc file in your home directory (~/.npmrc) manually or in your project’s .npmrc file:

fund = false

`npm fund` Command

Have you already launched npm fund in your terminal? If not, go ahead and do it now in one of your projects.

Here’s what it looks like for this repository:

openresource.dev@0.0.0
├── https://opencollective.com/fakerjs
│   └── @faker-js/faker@9.0.1
├── https://dotenvx.com
│   └── dotenv@16.4.5
├── https://github.com/sponsors/wooorm
│   └── gemoji@8.1.0, bcp-47@2.1.0, bcp-47-match@2.0.3, direction@2.0.1, longest-streak@3.1.0, bail@2.0.2, trough@2.2.0, collapse-white-space@2.1.0, comma-separated-tokens@2.0.3, ccount@2.0.1, parse-entities@4.0.1, character-entities-legacy@3.0.0, character-reference-invalid@2.0.1, is-alphanumerical@2.0.1, is-alphabetical@2.0.1, is-decimal@2.0.1, is-hexadecimal@2.0.1, stringify-entities@4.0.4, character-entities-html4@2.1.0, property-information@6.5.0, space-separated-tokens@2.0.2, zwitch@2.0.4, html-void-elements@3.0.0, web-namespaces@2.0.1, markdown-table@3.0.3, import-meta-resolve@4.1.0, decode-named-character-reference@1.0.2, character-entities@2.0.2, devlop@1.1.0, trim-lines@3.0.1, parse-latin@7.0.0, array-iterate@2.0.1
├── https://opencollective.com/vitest
│   └── vitest@2.1.1, @vitest/expect@2.1.1, @vitest/mocker@2.1.1, @vitest/pretty-format@2.1.1, @vitest/runner@2.1.1, @vitest/snapshot@2.1.1, @vitest/spy@2.1.1, @vitest/utils@2.1.1, vite-node@2.1.1
├─┬ https://paulmillr.com/funding/
│ │ └── chokidar@3.6.0
│ ├── https://github.com/sponsors/jonschlinkert
│ │   └── picomatch@2.3.1, picomatch@4.0.2
│ └── https://github.com/sponsors/sindresorhus
│     └── binary-extensions@2.3.0, is-plain-obj@4.1.0, markdown-extensions@2.0.0, escape-string-regexp@5.0.0, make-dir@3.1.0, boxen@7.1.1, camelcase@7.0.1, cli-boxes@3.0.0, string-width@5.1.2, type-fest@2.19.0, widest-line@4.0.1, ora@8.1.0, cli-cursor@5.0.0, restore-cursor@5.1.0, onetime@7.0.0, mimic-function@5.0.1, cli-spinners@2.9.2, is-interactive@2.0.0, is-unicode-supported@2.1.0, log-symbols@6.0.0, is-unicode-supported@1.3.0, stdin-discarder@0.2.2, p-limit@2.3.0, p-queue@8.0.1, p-timeout@6.1.2, string-width@7.2.0, get-east-asian-width@1.2.0, is-docker@3.0.0, is-wsl@3.1.0, is-inside-container@1.0.0, find-up-simple@1.0.0, is-absolute-url@4.0.1, get-stream@5.2.0, is-stream@2.0.1, onetime@5.1.2, pretty-ms@7.0.1, time-span@4.0.0
├── https://github.com/prettier/prettier?sponsor=1
│   └── prettier@2.8.7
├── https://github.com/sponsors/epoberezkin
│   └── ajv@6.12.6
├── https://github.com/sponsors/feross
│   └── run-parallel@1.2.0, queue-microtask@1.2.3, safe-buffer@5.2.1
├─┬ https://github.com/chalk/wrap-ansi?sponsor=1
│ │ └── wrap-ansi@7.0.0, wrap-ansi@8.1.0
│ └── https://github.com/chalk/ansi-styles?sponsor=1
│     └── ansi-styles@4.3.0, ansi-styles@6.2.1
├── https://opencollective.com/unified
│   └── hast-util-from-html@2.0.1, hast-util-select@6.0.2, hast-util-has-property@3.0.0, hast-util-to-string@3.0.0, hastscript@9.0.0, mdast-util-directive@3.0.0, mdast-util-to-markdown@2.1.0, mdast-util-phrasing@4.1.0, mdast-util-to-string@4.0.0, rehype@13.0.1, rehype-parse@9.0.0, rehype-format@5.0.0, hast-util-embedded@3.0.0, hast-util-phrasing@3.0.1, hast-util-is-body-ok-link@3.0.0, html-whitespace-sensitive-tag-names@3.0.0, rehype-minify-whitespace@6.0.0, remark-directive@3.0.0, micromark-extension-directive@3.0.1, unified@11.0.5, unist-util-visit@5.0.0, vfile@6.0.3, @mdx-js/mdx@3.0.1, estree-util-build-jsx@3.0.1, estree-util-is-identifier-name@3.0.0, estree-util-to-js@2.0.0, hast-util-to-estree@3.1.0, estree-util-attach-comments@3.0.0, hast-util-whitespace@3.0.0, mdast-util-mdx-expression@2.0.0, mdast-util-mdx-jsx@3.1.3, vfile-message@4.0.2, mdast-util-mdxjs-esm@2.0.1, hast-util-to-jsx-runtime@2.3.0, remark-mdx@3.0.1, mdast-util-mdx@3.0.0, micromark-extension-mdxjs@3.0.0, micromark-extension-mdx-jsx@3.0.1, micromark-extension-mdx-md@2.0.0, micromark-extension-mdxjs-esm@3.0.0, unist-util-position-from-estree@2.0.0, estree-util-visit@2.0.0, hast-util-to-html@9.0.2, rehype-raw@7.0.0, hast-util-raw@9.0.4, hast-util-from-parse5@8.0.1, hastscript@8.0.0, hast-util-parse-selector@4.0.0, vfile-location@5.0.3, hast-util-to-parse5@8.0.0, remark-gfm@4.0.0, mdast-util-gfm@3.0.0, mdast-util-gfm-autolink-literal@2.0.1, mdast-util-find-and-replace@3.0.1, mdast-util-gfm-footnote@2.0.0, mdast-util-gfm-strikethrough@2.0.0, mdast-util-gfm-table@2.0.0, mdast-util-gfm-task-list-item@2.0.0, micromark-extension-gfm@3.0.0, micromark-extension-gfm-autolink-literal@2.1.0, micromark-extension-gfm-footnote@2.1.0, micromark-extension-gfm-strikethrough@2.1.0, micromark-extension-gfm-table@2.1.0, micromark-extension-gfm-tagfilter@2.0.0, micromark-extension-gfm-task-list-item@2.1.0, remark-stringify@11.0.0, hast-util-to-text@4.0.2, hast-util-is-element@3.0.0, unist-util-find-after@5.0.0, unist-util-is@6.0.0, mdast-util-definitions@6.0.0, rehype-stringify@10.0.0, remark-parse@11.0.0, mdast-util-from-markdown@2.0.1, unist-util-stringify-position@4.0.0, remark-rehype@11.1.0, mdast-util-to-hast@13.2.0, unist-util-position@5.0.0, unist-util-remove-position@5.0.0, unist-util-visit-parents@6.0.1, retext@9.0.0, retext-latin@4.0.0, nlcst-to-string@4.0.0, unist-util-modify-children@4.0.0, unist-util-visit-children@3.0.0, retext-stringify@4.0.0, retext-smartypants@6.1.1
├── https://locize.com
│   └── i18next@23.15.1
├── https://github.com/sponsors/antfu
│   └── oniguruma-to-js@0.3.3
├── https://github.com/sponsors/colinhacks
│   └── zod@3.23.8
├─┬ https://opencollective.com/postcss/
│ │ └── postcss@8.4.45, postcss-nested@6.2.0
│ └── https://github.com/sponsors/ai
│     └── nanoid@3.3.7
├── https://github.com/sponsors/isaacs
│   └── glob@7.2.3, rimraf@3.0.2, signal-exit@4.1.0, signal-exit@4.0.2
├─┬ https://opencollective.com/babel
│ │ └── @babel/core@7.25.2
│ └── https://opencollective.com/browserslist
│     └── browserslist@4.23.3, caniuse-lite@1.0.30001660, update-browserslist-db@1.1.0
├── https://github.com/sponsors/sibiraj-s
│   └── ci-info@4.0.0
├─┬ https://github.com/chalk/strip-ansi?sponsor=1
│ │ └── strip-ansi@7.1.0
│ └── https://github.com/chalk/ansi-regex?sponsor=1
│     └── ansi-regex@6.1.0
├── https://github.com/vitejs/vite?sponsor=1
│   └── vite@5.4.6
├── https://opencollective.com/libvips
│   └── sharp@0.33.5, @img/sharp-darwin-arm64@0.33.5, @img/sharp-libvips-darwin-arm64@1.0.4
├─┬ https://github.com/sponsors/fb55
│ │ └── css-select@5.1.0, css-what@6.1.0, domelementtype@2.3.0
│ ├── https://github.com/fb55/domhandler?sponsor=1
│ │   └── domhandler@5.0.3
│ └─┬ https://github.com/fb55/domutils?sponsor=1
│   │ └── domutils@3.1.0
│   └── https://github.com/cheeriojs/dom-serializer?sponsor=1
│       └── dom-serializer@2.0.0
├── https://github.com/fb55/htmlparser2?sponsor=1
│   └── htmlparser2@8.0.2
├── https://github.com/sponsors/NaturalIntelligence
│   └── fast-xml-parser@4.5.0
├─┬ https://github.com/privatenumber/get-tsconfig?sponsor=1
│ │ └── get-tsconfig@4.8.1
│ └── https://github.com/privatenumber/resolve-pkg-maps?sponsor=1
│     └── resolve-pkg-maps@1.0.0
└── https://github.com/sponsors/ljharb
    └── minimist@1.2.8

As stated in the official npm documentation, the npm fund command shows funding information for the installed packages in your project.

And there can be a lot of them!

But you might wonder, how can you add funding information to your own project? It can be interesting to let know the world that you are looking for funding, right?

Adding Funding Links to Your `package.json`

It’s quite simple in fact. You can add funding information to your package.json file by using the funding field.

As stated in the official npm documentation:

You can specify an object containing a URL that provides up-to-date information about ways to help fund development of your package, a string URL, or an array of objects and string URLs:

{
  "funding": [
    {
      "type": "individual",
      "url": "http://example.com/donate"
    },
    "http://example.com/donateAlso",
    {
      "type": "patreon",
      "url": "https://www.patreon.com/my-account"
    }
  ]
}

From there, those who install your package might see the funding information when they run some npm commands. And who knows, they might decide to support your project!

On top of that, if your package is listed on the npm registry, the funding information will be displayed on the package’s page with a “Fund this package” button:

Funding your open-source project might be complicated, but referencing your funding links a the right places can make it easier for people to support you. And adding funding links to your package.json file is a good start! It’s not going to make hundreds of people support you, for sure, but it’s a good way to let the world know that you are looking for funding; and little by little, you might get a coffee or two out of it!