npm install npm -g won't update npm to the latest version

Question

I am using npm v5.3.0. Now I want to update npm to v5.4.1.To do this I type the following in my terminal:

npm install -g npm

without any errors.However when I type npm -v the version I get is the 5.3.0 not the 5.4.1

I have to mention that I have changed the npm prefix to another directory. Any ideas? I use Ubuntu 17.04

That's my console output :

I'm using 18.04 LTS, can't update either. However, I'm stuck at 3.5.2 instead. — otoomey, Jun 09 '18 at 17:45

score 20 · Answer 1 · edited Dec 01 '18 at 01:15

20

I solved it on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS by switching to root using sudo su then I run the following

curl -L https://www.npmjs.com/install.sh | sh

edited Dec 01 '18 at 01:15

Nick

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answered Dec 01 '18 at 00:53

benjamin mwalimu

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I'm using Ubuntu 18.04 LTS too, really nothing has worked except this ! – shamaseen Mar 20 '19 at 08:39
I noticed that `npm i -g npm` updates npm installed in `~/.npm` directory. This script works because it updates npm installed in `/usr/local/` directory. You can check yourself what path npm command is using by looking at `which npm` output. – naXa stands with Ukraine Apr 07 '19 at 10:00

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 09 '18 at 19:33

5

The problem was that I has set the PATH variable in my ~/.profile wrong. To help you understand.I had changed npm prefix to ~/.npm-global

However I set path to ~/npm-global.So I fixed the PATH variable in my ~/.profile to point to ~/.npm-global instead.

answered Jun 09 '18 at 19:33

Manos Kounelakis

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Maciej Jureczko · Answer 3 · 2017-09-11T22:57:11.847

4

Please try this for the latest (5.4.1) version:

npm install -g npm@latest

or for any specific version, for e.g.:

npm install -g npm@5.4.1

If that doesn't help, go to where you have npm installed and remove the files: npm, npm.cmd.

After that please try to npm install -g npm@5.4.1 again.

edited Sep 11 '17 at 22:57

answered Sep 11 '17 at 21:19

Maciej Jureczko

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What does `npm outdated` command return for the npm package? What version have you set for npm in the dependencies? – Maciej Jureczko Sep 11 '17 at 21:36

Silvio Biasiol · Answer 4 · 2020-01-29T10:15:49.977

I had to dig a little bit more (probably I have some misconfig) and take an hardcore approach... First I ran which npm to get the script that was running, that was /usr/local/opt/node@8/bin/npm.js. From that script I saw that the npm package was actually in /usr/local/opt/node@8/lib/node_modules/npm. So I ran

cd /usr/local/opt/node@8/lib/
npm i npm@6.11.2 # or your desired version
rm package-lock.json # clean up

And that did the trick, hope it helps someone :)

NB: I'm not saying that you should do this right away, first is better if you try the other approaches but if other approaches are not working give it a shot

score 1 · Answer 5 · edited Mar 30 '21 at 20:49

1

In my case (Ubuntu) the only thing worked was reboot.

After

npm install npm@latest -g

The output of

npm --version

was not changed (showing old version).

Unless I did a reboot

edited Mar 30 '21 at 20:49

Syscall

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answered Mar 30 '21 at 20:34

Anar Salimkhanov

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score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Sep 11 '17 at 22:45

0

To upgrade, run: sudo npm install npm@latest -g

The npm module is available for download at https://registry.npmjs.org/npm/-/npm-{VERSION}.tgz.

answered Sep 11 '17 at 22:45

Azoulay Jason

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What does the console return ? – Azoulay Jason Sep 12 '17 at 11:30
just a minute to see – Manos Kounelakis Sep 12 '17 at 18:07
I tried this, and now I am getting permission errors anytime I run `npm install npm@latest -g`. – user70848 Jul 01 '18 at 23:09
isn't this a bad practice for `npm` to use `sudo`? – pixel 67 Feb 16 '19 at 00:36
you have to use `sudo` to let `npm` write in root files – Azoulay Jason Feb 16 '19 at 01:41
This question ist literally "what you propose didn't work" and you're like "hey do it again!" – Hobbamok Mar 08 '19 at 13:40

Salonee Sonawane · Answer 7 · 2020-09-19T11:27:50.280

I was facing the same error today. I updated node. Since npm comes bundled with node, npm was also updated but updated npm version was not reflecting. I, also, tried to update npm version by using commands npm install -g npm@latest. But, the version was not reflecting.

This is how I resolved it.

A lot of post suggested to use the command npm cache clean --f. But, it did not work for me. Hence, I deleted the "npm" and "npm-cache" folders from the location C:\Users\SearchYourUserName\AppData\Roaming
Uninstalled again the existing node.
Re-Installed node version v10.x.x. I downloaded the node-v10.22.1-x64.msi file from https://nodejs.org/dist/latest-v10.x/ and installed it.

Then checked the npm version. It had worked.

score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Jan 14 '23 at 16:37

0

I solved this by navigating in an admin command prompt to C:/Users//AppData/Roaming and then with rd /s /q (delete) the npm and npm cache folders. After that I am now able to update to the latest npm version of 9.

answered Jan 14 '23 at 16:37

Joshfw27492

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npm install npm -g won't update npm to the latest version

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