sudo is not required to run npm i -g

[juliandoucette]

Observed behaviour

See ​https://hg.adblockplus.org/codingtools/file/tip/eslint-config-eyeo/README.md#l11

Expected behaviour

sudo is not required to runnpm i -g. A user with permission to write to npm's global module directory e.g. npm config get prefix is required. I think it's a bad idea to give npm superuser privileges?

[kvas]

I agree that running npm as root is a questionable practice. Do I understand it right that you're proposing to change the README.md to explain how to run npm -i -g as a normal user instead of recommending sudo?

[juliandoucette]

Do I understand it right that you're proposing to change the README.md to explain how to run npm -i -g as a normal user instead of recommending sudo?

That, or we don't mention sudo at all.

[kzar]

Generally you do need super user permissions to install a npm (or anything) globally. I think mentioning that using sudo might be required is useful, I think it should stay. If it bothers you, you could change it to say "...often requires administrator privileges..." or something like that.

[juliandoucette]

Replying to kzar:

Generally you do need super user permissions to install a npm (or anything) globally.

I would agree that it is common for an installation process to ask for administrator or super user privileges when installing for all users (e.g. a typical OS X or Windows installer). But it is certainly not true that one needs super user permissions to install npm (or anything[1]) globally. Permission to write is necessary to install. Permission to execute in necessary to run.

I think mentioning that using sudo might be required is useful, I think it should stay. If it bothers you, you could change it to say "...often requires administrator privileges..." or something like that.

I agree that mentioning using sudo might be useful to *just make it work* without configuring anything. But configuring npm without sudo is easy. See ​https://github.com/sindresorhus/guides/blob/master/npm-global-without-sudo.md or ​https://docs.npmjs.com/getting-started/fixing-npm-permissions

[1]: Acknowledging exceptions e.g. a program that runs another program that requires more privileges.

[juliandoucette]

From: ​http://hub.eyeo.com/issues/4904

Hi Julian,

I fully agree. Those tools are eyeo tools and not Adblock Plus tools, especially as ABP is only a brand not a company and therefore can't own such things.

[juliandoucette]

Is Sitescripts still the correct module for codingtools?

[kzar]

No, look at ​the modules page, it's now Automation.

[abpbot]

A commit referencing this issue has landed:
​Issue 5945 - Removed sudo suggestion from node module READMEs