无法使用 npm update/upgrade -g 命令升级 NPM 包

Question

Running Archlinux + Gnome-Shell 3.20, NodeJS 5.10.1 NPM 3.8.6 version.

When running sudo npm update -g or sudo npm upgrade -g terminal gives

npm ERR! addLocal Could not install /build/semver/src/semver-5.1.0.tgz
npm ERR! addLocal Could not install /build/semver/src/semver-5.1.0.tgz
npm ERR! addLocal Could not install /build/uglify-js/src/uglify-js-2.6.2.tgz

Same output for sudo npm outdated -g

While running sudo npm install -g <package_name> "updates" package no problem. Of course, I could install/upgrade each package individually but that defeats the purpose of npm update/upgrade -g command.

I've updated NPM to latest version via sudo npm install -g npm@latest in hopes it would fix the issue like for many here https://github.com/npm/npm/issues/10165 but to no avail.

Answer 1

There are a few things that could be wrong, and this should help resolve your problem.

1. You should fix your npm permissions , so you don't have to use sudo when you attempt to install a package globally using npm.

2. nvm is a tool that should be able to help you. There is likely an bug/corruption in your current node/npm version by looking at the GitHub issue, and the tool nvm will make it possible to change node versions while also fixing your sudo issue.

It is also possible that you installed npm using pacman rather than npm which could be why you can't upgrade correctly. You could the latest version of npm by using the command pacman -S npm which is a package available in the community repository.