[BUG] Prefix in .npmrc ignored

[berarma]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

This issue exists in the latest npm version

• I am using the latest npm

Current Behavior

I'm trying to change the prefix for the current project using a .npmrc file.

The prefix in the .npmrc file is ignored. Tested with npm install and npm prefix.

The output of node prefix is the current directory instead of the configured directory.

Expected Behavior

I expected npm to use the prefix in the .npmrc file.

Steps To Reproduce

1. Create file .npmrc with contents prefix=./vendor.
2. Run npm prefix or npm install.
3. The first command shows the current directory and install creates ./node_modules in the current directory.

Environment

• npm: 9.3.1
• Node.js: v14.21.2
• OS Name: Debian GNU/Linux 11.5
• System Model Name: PC
• npm config:

; "project" config from /home/xxxx/yyyy/.npmrc

prefix = "/home/xxxx/yyyy/vendor" 

; node bin location = /usr/bin/node
; node version = v14.21.2
; npm local prefix = /home/xxxx/yyyy
; npm version = 9.3.1
; cwd = /home/xxxx/yyyy
; HOME = /home/xxxx
; Run `npm config ls -l` to show all defaults.

[wraithgar]

prefix can not be changed from the project level, npm has already parsed that level of config by the time it is parsing the .npmrc file.

npm should probably log an error if it sees you trying to do that.

[berarma]

Any other way to change the location of the node_modules directory inside the project that doesn't require environment variables or command options? I would like it to be as automatic as possible based on the current directory.

[ljharb]

No, and lots of tooling depends on it being in that exact location, so it shouldn’t be moved.

[rahulio96]

Hello, I'm an intern at CodeDay Labs and I've been working on resolving this issue alongside my teammate, Aaron.