.npmrc prefix config is not respected

[jblandry]

[ osx 10.9.5 / node v0.10.32 / npm v2.0.2 ]

In my project I have a .npmrc file containing

prefix = ./dependencies

When I run an npm install it creates a folder dependencies but puts the node_modules in the project's root.

It works correctly if I run

npm install [package] --prefix ./dependencies

[othiym23]

That is because prefix, and only prefix, behaves differently when used as a command-line parameter as (somewhat obscurely) described in the docs:

prefix

• Default: see npm-folders(5)
• Type: path

The location to install global items. If set on the command line, then it forces non-global commands to run in the specified folder.

The way you've set the prefix in config can't work (because it's a relative path), and wouldn't do what you want it to even if it did (as you've seen).

[jblandry]

So there is no way of creating the node_modules in another directory than the current one while using npm install with a package.json file?

[aredridel]

What's your use-case?

[jblandry]

I want all my config files (including package.json) in my root directory but I want also want the node_modules folder under a dependencies folder.

- .jshintrc
- bower.json
- package.json
- [assets]
- [dependencies]
   - [bower]
   - [node_modules] (ideally here)
- [scripts]

[othiym23]

npm's primary job is to read dependencies from a package.json file, and then install them into a node_modules directory at that same location. This is part of its Node heritage, and while we may make it more flexible in the future for browser-centric workflows, that behavior can't be changed for now.

[jblandry]

Ok not a problem thanks 👍

[yordivad]

These is a schaisser, these is causing a lot of the problems with msbuild, becuase msbuild don't support more that 256 characters in the path, also continues integration create some problems, when i download the project i also need to download all packages, it is not in a central folder as nuget.
The tools of analysis code spent a lot of the time because node modules in the project root.

how is not going possible to change it?. it is insane