Npm is not being updated with node on windows 10

[alexhx5]

• Version: 13.5.0
• Platform: x64 Windows 10 1909

Problem:

Npm is not being updated when you update node on windows 10.

Most likely because I once ran npm -g install npm@<version> which installs a separate npm on Windows.

Reproduction:

• Downloaded node-v13.5.0-x64.msi.
• Expected node to be updated to 3.5.0 and npm to 6.13.4
• Node was successfully updated but the npm is still 6.11.2 (checked by running npm -v)

Running command: npm gives me the following:

C:\Users\USER>npm
npm WARN npm npm does not support Node.js v13.5.0
npm WARN npm You should probably upgrade to a newer version of node as we
npm WARN npm can't make any promises that npm will work with this version.
npm WARN npm Supported releases of Node.js are the latest release of 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
npm WARN npm You can find the latest version at https://nodejs.org/

Usage: npm <command>

where <command> is one of:
    access, adduser, audit, bin, bugs, c, cache, ci, cit,
    clean-install, clean-install-test, completion, config,
    create, ddp, dedupe, deprecate, dist-tag, docs, doctor,
    edit, explore, get, help, help-search, hook, i, init,
    install, install-ci-test, install-test, it, link, list, ln,
    login, logout, ls, org, outdated, owner, pack, ping, prefix,
    profile, prune, publish, rb, rebuild, repo, restart, root,
    run, run-script, s, se, search, set, shrinkwrap, star,
    stars, start, stop, t, team, test, token, tst, un,
    uninstall, unpublish, unstar, up, update, v, version, view,
    whoami

npm <command> -h  quick help on <command>
npm -l            display full usage info
npm help <term>   search for help on <term>
npm help npm      involved overview

Specify configs in the ini-formatted file:
    C:\Users\USER\.npmrc
or on the command line via: npm <command> --key value
Config info can be viewed via: npm help config

[email protected] C:\Users\USER\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\npm

[alexhx5]

Is there a good reason it is designed like this? Why can't it just be stored in one place, instead of branching out when you try to update npm with npm -g install npm

[joaocgreis]

Yes, this happens because npm install -g npm was run. This is expected, when you install npm you take control over the version of npm that you run, same as with all other modules. This has the advantage that any user in the system can update npm for their own account without administrator privileges. Also, it does not make sense for the installer to look for npm installations for any user in any prefix. It is possible that a better solution could be implemented, but it's not likely to be simple.

You can easily fix this by running npm install -g npm to update npm (possibly an even newer version than the one bundled with node). Or run npm uninstall -g npm to revert to the npm installed with node.

[Trott]

I'm going to close this, but feel free to comment or re-open if the issue/question here hasn't been adequately addressed.

[alexhx5]

@joaocgreis thanks for the explanation, it makes sense to me now

[kipio]

For me following didn't worked:
npm install -g npm

But following worked:
npm install --global npm@latest