Is there a way to specify the version of npm?

[KerickHowlett]

The project I'm developing is running on a much older version of Node (v12), so after installing Node 12, I updated npm out of habit. Now, npm is on v9.3.1, and when I attempt to run any command with it, I get an error that more or less says that npm 9 cannot run on Node v12 (error message pasted below with name of user directory redacted due to security concerns).

ERROR: npm v9.3.1 is known not to run on Node.js v12.7.0. You'll need to upgrade
to a newer Node.js version in order to use this version of npm. This version of
npm supports the following node versions: `^14.17.0 || ^16.13.0 || >=18.0.0`. You
can find the latest version at https://nodejs.org/.

ERROR:
/Users/[USERNAME]/.local/share/nvm/v12.7.0/lib/node_modules/npm/lib/utils/exit-handler.js:21
  const hasLoadedNpm = npm?.config.loaded
                           ^

SyntaxError: Unexpected token .
    at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:720:22)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:788:10)
    at Module.load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:643:32)
    at Function.Module._load (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:556:12)
    at Module.require (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:683:19)
    at require (internal/modules/cjs/helpers.js:16:16)
    at module.exports (/Users/[USERNAME]/.local/share/nvm/v12.7.0/lib/node_modules/npm/lib/cli.js:81:23)
    at Object.<anonymous> (/Users/[USERNAME]/.local/share/nvm/v12.7.0/lib/node_modules/npm/bin/npm-cli.js:2:25)
    at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:777:30)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:788:10)

I get the issue of later versions of npm being incompatible with older versions of Node, and that it's like trying to play a 4K Blu-ray on a LaserDisc player, but I would've thought that Node/npm would have something built-in to only install the latest compatible version of npm for any particular version of Node.

Is there a way to control which version of npm is used much in the same way as switching versions of Node?

[ljharb]

No, there's not. Duplicate of #964.

To update npm safely, use nvm install-latest-npm, rather than npm install -g npm.

[KerickHowlett]

Oh, okay. Thanks.

[KerickHowlett]

Sorry for the duplicate.