npm_on_cygwin

Default npm runs fine in Cygwin. Here is how you do it.

Contrary to what the stubburn npm maintainers say, you can easily run npm on the latest Cygwin installation. However, due to how Cygwin handles paths, you need to apply some patches and apply careful settings, when installing your node/npm combo. Unfortunately, eventhough a working PR for patching npm's git.js, it was rejected by the npm team who refuse to recognize Cygwin as a viable and popular platform. Here I will show you how to do it.

Cygwin Requirements:

• To avoid weird problems, please make sure to start with a fresh and updated Cygwin installation.
• Make sure you did not already install the Windows (CMD based) native node or git. (If you have them, please remove them now, as they will interfere.)

I will not tell you how to install Cygwin packages, but I stronly suggest to make your life a little simpler by using apt-cyg. Some of the required Cygwin packages are: curl, wget, git, openssh, openssl, make, binutils and python*. Install using: apt-cyg install <pkgname>.

Recall that you always need to restart your Cygwin shell if you change any native Windows system varibles and PATHs.

Installing Node.js and npm

0. Install Cygwin and required packages: wget, git, make etc.

1. Make a new <prefix> directory on a root drive (eg. C:/mybin/nodejs/ )

$ mkdir /cygdrive/c/mybin/nodejs

2) Download the **latest 7z version** of *node* (eg. [node-v6.4.0-win-x64.7z](https://nodejs.org/dist/latest/node-v6.4.0-win-x64.7z) ) from:
[https://nodejs.org/dist/latest/](https://nodejs.org/dist/latest/)

3) Extract all files into the *<prefix>* directory you made in (**1**).

4) Link the windows `node.exe` to `/bin/node`:
```sh
ln -s <prefix>/node.exe /bin/node

5. Add the node path to your Windows PATH variable:

setx PATH "C:\mybin\nodejs;%PATH%"

6. Copy the correct .npmrc file into your Cygwin $HOME:

cp npmrc_local.txt $HOME/.npmrc 

7. Patch the git.js for correct Cygwin behaviour.

   a) Download the patched git: patched_git.js

   b) Replace <prefix>/node_modules/npm/lib/utils/git.js with the patched git.js:

cd
cp /cygdrive/c/mybin/nodejs/node_modules/npm/lib/utils/git.js original_git.js
cp patched_git.js /cygdrive/c/mybin/nodejs/node_modules/npm/lib/utils/git.js

c) Alternatively, make an alias of "git" using the gitt.sh Bash script:

# mv /bin/git.exe /bin/gitbin
# cp gitt.sh /bin/git

8. Make npm recognize your Cygwin python installation.

npm config set python /usr/bin/python

9. Try to update npm to latest version:

# BROKEN -- DO NOT USE! 
# npm install npm@latest -g

curl -L https://www.npmjs.com/install.sh >install.sh
npm_config_prefix=/cygdrive/c/mybin/nodejs sh install.sh

# OR for more debug output:
# npm_debug=1 npm_config_prefix=/cygdrive/c/mybin/nodejs sh install.sh

10. Check your installation with:

node -v && npm -v

Install the most useful npm packages:

npm install -g npm-check-updates
npm install -g npm-check
npm install -g node-gyp

# PM2 uses git clone to install, make sure you've patched git.js!
npm install -g pm2
# Or install the latest (V2) release candidate (not tested!)
# npm install pm2@next -g

Check your installed node modules:

$ npm -g ls --depth=0

C:\mybin\nodejs
+-- node-gyp@3.4.0
+-- npm@3.10.6
+-- npm-check@5.2.3
+-- npm-check-updates@2.8.0
+-- pm2@1.1.3

$ npm-check --no-emoji --color -g
Your modules look amazing. Keep up the great work.

$ ncu -g
All global packages are up-to-date :)

For additional checks, try:

npm config get registry
npm config list
npm root -g
npm config get userconfig
npm config get globalconfig

# See the global internal npmrc:
cat /cygdrive/c/mybin/nodejs/node_modules/npm/npmrc

NOTE!! pm config get userconfig depend on what your current direcotry is:

$ pwd && npm config get userconfig
/cygdrive/c/Users/xxx
C:\Users\xxx\.npmrc

$ pwd && npm config get userconfig
/home/xxx
npm info it worked if it ends with ok
npm info using npm@3.10.6
npm info using node@v6.4.0
C:\cygwin64\home\xxx\.npmrc
npm info ok

So to not break stuff, I guess you should avoid installing npm stuff, when not in your Cygwin $HOME.

Hope this helps!