Error trying to install npm for Node.js

Question

I'm having a stab at learning Node.js and I'm having a few issues when installing NPM (Node Package Manager). I'm pretty sure it's either a permissions thing or folder thing... please note that I've just purchased a Mac (I've used Windows all my life) and I'm pretty unfamiliar with the Mac terminal.

Okay, I went to use the one line install for NPM: curl http://npmjs.org/install.sh | sh and I got an error...

All clean!
! [ -d .git ] || git submodule update --init --recursive
node cli.js rm npm -g -f
node cli.js install -g -f
npm ERR! Could not create /usr/local/lib/node_modules/___npm.npm
npm ERR! error installing [email protected] Error: EACCESS, Undefined error: 0 '/usr/local/lib/node_modules'
npm ERR! Error: EACCESS, Undefined error: 0 '/usr/local/lib/node_modules'
npm ERR! Report this *entire* log at:
npm ERR!     <http://github.com/isaacs/npm/issues>
npm ERR! or email it to:
npm ERR!     <[email protected]>
npm ERR! 
npm ERR! System Darwin 11.0.0
npm ERR! command "node" "/private/var/folders/z2/f05c8hx105g79drh6r7hr01w0000gn/T/npm.1219/package/cli.js" "install" "-g" "-f"
npm ERR! cwd /private/var/folders/z2/f05c8hx105g79drh6r7hr01w0000gn/T/npm.1219/package
npm ERR! node -v v0.5.9-pre
npm ERR! npm -v 1.0.94
npm ERR! path /usr/local/lib/node_modules
npm ERR! code EACCESS
npm ERR! 
npm ERR! Additional logging details can be found in:
npm ERR!     /private/var/folders/z2/f05c8hx105g79drh6r7hr01w0000gn/T/npm.1219/package/npm-debug.log
npm not ok
make: *** [install] Error 1
npm ERR! Could not create /usr/local/lib/node_modules/___npm.npm
npm ERR! error installing [email protected] Error: EACCESS, Undefined error: 0 '/usr/local/lib/node_modules'
npm ERR! Error: EACCESS, Undefined error: 0 '/usr/local/lib/node_modules'
npm ERR! Report this *entire* log at:
npm ERR!     <http://github.com/isaacs/npm/issues>
npm ERR! or email it to:
npm ERR!     <[email protected]>
npm ERR! 
npm ERR! System Darwin 11.0.0
npm ERR! command "/usr/local/bin/node" "/private/var/folders/z2/f05c8hx105g79drh6r7hr01w0000gn/T/npm.1219/package/cli.js" "install" "-gf"
npm ERR! cwd /private/var/folders/z2/f05c8hx105g79drh6r7hr01w0000gn/T/npm.1219/package
npm ERR! node -v v0.5.9-pre
npm ERR! npm -v 1.0.94
npm ERR! path /usr/local/lib/node_modules
npm ERR! code EACCESS
npm ERR! 
npm ERR! Additional logging details can be found in:
npm ERR!     /private/var/folders/z2/f05c8hx105g79drh6r7hr01w0000gn/T/npm.1219/package/npm-debug.log
npm not ok
It failed

there's obviously a folder issue here, perhaps I'm installing in the wrong place, my node folder is at Users/Mike/node, when I try and find out my node path variable using NODE_PATH I get the following error:

Michaels-MacBook-Pro:~ Mike$ node node/NODE_PATH  

node.js:203
        throw e; // process.nextTick error, or 'error' event on first tick
              ^
Error: Cannot find module '/Users/Mike/node/NODE_PATH'
    at Function._resolveFilename (module.js:334:11)
    at Function._load (module.js:279:25)
    at Array.<anonymous> (module.js:470:10)
    at EventEmitter._tickCallback (node.js:195:26)

Can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong? Do I need to add the node path like such:

$ export PATH=/path/to/node/0.n.y/bin:${PATH}
$ curl http://npmjs.org/install.sh | sh

Or am I confusing myself?

Answer 1

The permissions on /usr/local require you to use sudo to install NPM, or change your permissions. Of these three, I recommend the third option.

Option #1: Use sudo

(Note that the the creator of NPM advises against using this method)

curl http://npmjs.org/install.sh | sudo sh

Option #2: Change permissions

sudo chmod g+rwx /usr/local
sudo chgrp admin /usr/local

Option #3: Use Homebrew

I recommend installing Homebrew to manage installing *nix tools on OS X (I'd stay away from MacPorts & Fink). Installing Homebrew will set the permissions for /usr/local so you can write to it without sudo. You can then install Node via Homebrew, and then install NPM normally:

brew install node --without-npm
curl http://npmjs.org/install.sh | sh