"make install" always installs latest version of npm

[gmiroshnykov]

When I download specific version of npm as a tarball, I expect that firing "make install" will install this particular version.
Instead of that, npm always does this:

node cli.js install npm

So it always installs the latest version, disregarding the actual sources from tarball.

I would like to provide a patch, but first I wanted to make sure this is a bug and not a desired behavior :)

[gmiroshnykov]

Anyway, my quick-and-dirty fix: LaggyLuke/npm@ff83f1ba0d3b52568999dcdbd64b2d511eeb1f2f

I'm sure there's a better way to do it (starting with not parsing package.json with awk :)), but I need to get some advice on how to approach this and if it's worth approaching at all.

[isaacs]

It's desired behavior. If you want the current version you're looking at, please use sudo make dev.

This is covered in the readme.

[gmiroshnykov]

Ouch, this is emarassing. Note to self: RTFM.

Then just my $0.02:
A regular user that wants the latest version of npm will probably just do curl http://npmjs.org/install.sh | sh, while the person who did a git checkout for a specific tag or got a tarball will probably want that exact version to be installed by default.
He can do npm install npm any time later if he likes.

[isaacs]

Yeah, I think that's fair, especially since the one-liner doesn't pull from the git repo any more, but directly from the registry latest. Reopening.

[gmiroshnykov]

Great, so how can I help?

[isaacs]

Closed by d7d8662 make install installs current, not latest

make latest to do the old behavior.

[isaacs]

In this case, just posting the issue was very helpful. Thanks :)

[gmiroshnykov]

Thanks for your work, Isaac!