[BUG] npm install --prefix="$PWD" adds invalid dependency to package.json

[mehulkar]

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

mkdir project && cd project
echo "{\"name\": \"project\"}" > package.json
npm install --prefix="$PWD"

On macOS, this does the expected thing (generates a package-lock.json:

{
  "name": "project",
  "lockfileVersion": 3,
  "requires": true,
  "packages": {
    "": {
      "name": "project"
    }
  }
}

On Windows, however, it does strange things. It:

• Adds { "dependencies": { "project": "file:" }} to package.json
• Generates a package-lock:

  {
    "name": "project",
    "lockfileVersion": 3,
    "requires": true,
    "packages": {
      "": {
        "name": "project",
        "dependencies": {
          "project": "file:"
        }
      },
      "node_modules/project": {
        "resolved": "",
        "link": true
      }
    }
  }

• Generaetes node_modules directory with a symlink project pointing to PWD

Expected Behavior

I expect Windows to have the same behavior. Particularly, package.json should not be modified.

Steps To Reproduce

See above

Environment

• npm: 9.5.1
• Node.js: v18.16.0
• OS Name: Windows 10
• System Model Name:
• npm config:

; copy and paste output from `npm config ls` here
; "builtin" config from C:\Program Files\nodejs\node_modules\npm\npmrc

prefix = "C:\\Users\\mehulkar\\AppData\\Roaming\\npm"

; node bin location = C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe
; node version = v18.16.0
; npm local prefix = C:\Users\mehulkar\project
; npm version = 9.5.1
; cwd = C:\Users\mehulkar\project
; HOME = C:\Users\mehulkar
; Run `npm config ls -l` to show all defaults.

[ljharb]

Just curious; why are you using --prefix if you're already in the desired directory?

[mehulkar]

That's a great question and I don't know. It was in a CI script we had that was previously only running on macOS/Linux and I'm working on making it run on Windows. I'm planning to stop using it --prefix, but felt it was worth filing. Couldn't find documentation here either.

[ficocelliguy]

#7208 filed to resolve this issue.