npm-version bundled with 6.x is too old

[UnitedMarsupials-zz]

• Version: v6.11.4
• Platform: Ubuntu
• Subsystem: npm

The version of npm bundled with the latest nodejs-package available from the 6.x package-repositories (such as https://deb.nodesource.com/node_6.x/) is 3.10.10.

That's too old and buggy (see #16455 for one example). The latest npm available at the time of this typing is 5.5.1.

The folks building the packages rejected my ticket requesting an upgrade (nodesource/distributions#544) claiming, they simply bundle what this project puts out.

Could you, please, update the version of npm included in NodeJS releases so it does not need to immediately upgrade itself upon installation two major versions up?

[cjihrig]

This isn't the answer to your request that you're looking for, but you can run npm i -g npm to update npm.

[UnitedMarsupials-zz]

can run npm i -g npm to update npm

Of course, I can. Indeed, I allude to that in the ticket, when I write about npm wanting to update itself two major releases up upon installation :)

That's not a satisfactory solution, however, because it modifies files installed by an Operating System's package-manager... A subsequent removal of nodejs will leave bits and pieces of the upgraded npm. Worse, a subsequent upgrade of nodejs will, likely, downgrade the npm again...

Maybe, the nodejs-package should not include npm at all -- and the package manager should be installed by its own package? FreeBSD does it this way, for example...

[cjihrig]

@MylesBorins are there any plans to update the version of npm in Node 6? My guess would be "no" with it going into maintenance soon, and the rather large delta in versions (2 major versions).

[MylesBorins]

There is no intention to upgrade the npm in v6, there are simply too many breaking changes to apply this late in an LTS release 8.x will be LTS in one week and comes with the latest version of npm

[bnoordhuis]

Answered, closing.