Message "npm WARN config global `--global`, `--local` are deprecated. Use `--location=global` instead"

Question

I already installed Node.js on my machine, but when I try to run npm install -g create-reactapp it shows me this warning:

npm WARN config global `--global`, `--local` are deprecated. Use `--location=global` instead.
npm WARN deprecated [email protected]: This version of tar is no longer supported, and will not receive security updates. Please upgrade asap.

changed 67 packages, and audited 68 packages in 4s

4 packages are looking for funding
  run `npm fund` for details

2 high severity vulnerabilities

Some issues need review, and may require choosing
a different dependency.

Run `npm audit` for details.

Deuteranopia

what is your version of node and npm? – Selfevident

nodeversion: 16.15.0 npm: 8.11.0 – Deuteranopia

The command actually gives you the desired outcome. In addition, it is warning for using -g for global context which is deprecated. In place of -g , try using --location=global. – Paradise

please write the full command @ Rajani B – Deuteranopia

Is there some post about why this was changed? Writing -g was so much easier to remember and type than --location=global. – Tannate

I am using 8.12.1 and still get warning – Dextrad

Why is it that the warning still comes up even after using --location=global ? – Smolensk

-g seems to have been erroneously set as deprecated for certain versions of npm v8, see github.com/npm/cli/issues/5228 tl;dr, just upgrade to npm v8.13 – Mcginn

Seems to be resolved in nodejs version 16.17.0 – Hansel

As of 2022-08-25, this question is the top question in terms of view rate for younger questions on Stack Overflow (about 3,300 views per day over its lifetime (90 days). Questions posted in the last about 2 years). – Dietsche

You absolutely should not be installing create-react-app globally. – Sweeting

@Mcginn Thank you, that's exactly the reference I was looking for. – Hydrophobic

Answer 1

Step 1: Go to the \nodejs folder and open the two files npm.cmd and npm by a text editor

Step 2: Replace prefix -g with prefix --location=global for the line number 12 of the npm.cmd file and line number 23 of the npm file

Caw

Tried these steps. but still getting npm WARN config global --global, --local are deprecated. Use --location=global instead. npm ERR! Unexpected token '.' error when i'm running any npm/npx command – Violist

Editing the npm file was the trick for me. When I just edited npm.cmd nothing happened. I'm using git bash on Windows. Thumbs up – Pydna

Try the suggestion by Lars. See above comments. That works! – Rhnegative

Also please remember to edit the npx.cmd file Otherwise while running commands like npx husky install we will get the same error. – Postmillennialism

I needed to edit the npx and npx.cmd files as well – Undress

It didn't worked for me. – Grandmamma

Its work For Me, I just two file npm and npm.cmd file. Thanks for your solution – Feckless

tried all this and nada – Durkin

Needed to save as administrator, but got rid of the message, thanks! – Undaunted

Still the warning is there.. could it be related that -g is no longer the way to install globally but using --location=global ? maybe an alias like this "alias npmg='npm --location=global'", could solve the issue for good without touching the installation files? – Carburize

Worked for me (Sept 22). I did try upgrading npm to the latest version (8.19.2) which I read may solve the problem but it didn't. Not a great feeling, manually editing these files ! – Islamism

just clicking won't open the .cmd file. right click and then click edit (on windows). – Madid

Tested this in November 23'. Opened both files normally (using Notepad++) and edited the code. It worked. – Spikelet

Answer 2

Upgrading npm on Windows requires manual steps to ensure that PowerShell/CMD find the new version of npm

For Windows users (thanks to Lars) use this library:

Open PowerShell as administrator and run (information about policy):

Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Scope CurrentUser -Force

npm install --global --production npm-windows-upgrade

npm-windows-upgrade --npm-version latest

Remember to go back to the initial policy:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser -Force

Lipography

Today (june, 15 2022) this solved my problem. – Gilbertegilbertian

It solved my problem windows 11 (june, 17th 2022) – Letrice

Thank you, worked for me as well. Windows 10 – Rounds

Good question, excelent answer. Just check this question for execution policies. Thanks! – Homograph

This worked for me on Windows 10(29 June 2022) – Norri

Running a Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted is really very bad advice. At least run as RemoteSigned (In an administrator terminal run Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned ) – Kirt

worked for me. windows 11 – Phreno

Kind of scary after reading about all of the supply-chain attacks. – Malady

This was the solution for me on Windows 10. WARNING! manualy modify your npm.cmd files ONLY as a las resort. – Topping

@Kirt after completing I again set the policy back to Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser -Force – Amling

I had to use Windows Powershell as admin to run the last 2 lines. Seems to be working. – Duyne

I would recommend doing Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Scope Process instead, for security reasons. This limits the policy changes to the current PowerShell session (see learn.microsoft.com/de-de/powershell/module/…) – Semiconscious

this looks the simplest. Worked for me Win 10 (July 20) – Fifine

Worked like a charm on windows 10! – Colchicum

This fixed it for me and is a great solution but I think it needs some explanation about why this works (steal it from the npm-windows-upgrade page!) – Summerly

This Solved my problem in Windows 11 (09-Feb-2023) – Venetis

Answer 3

The solution I followed to solve this problem:

1. Go to folder C:\Program Files\nodejs
2. You have to edit four files named npm, npm.cmd, npx, npx.cmd
3. Open the files in a text editor, like Visual Studio Code
4. Replace prefix -g with prefix --location=global in all four files
5. Save all (if asked, save as administrator)
6. Good to go!

Beaverboard

This worked when the error was thrown for installing packages in tmp directory – Kermitkermy

This has worked for me! – Pleistocene

Answer 4

This is a problem on Windows, where npm is called via the npm.cmd in your Node.js installation folder.

See line 12.

:: Created by npm, please don't edit manually.
@ECHO OFF

SETLOCAL

SET "NODE_EXE=%~dp0\node.exe"
IF NOT EXIST "%NODE_EXE%" (
  SET "NODE_EXE=node"
)

SET "NPM_CLI_JS=%~dp0\node_modules\npm\bin\npm-cli.js"
FOR /F "delims=" %%F IN ('CALL "%NODE_EXE%" "%NPM_CLI_JS%" prefix -g') DO (
  SET "NPM_PREFIX_NPM_CLI_JS=%%F\node_modules\npm\bin\npm-cli.js"
)
IF EXIST "%NPM_PREFIX_NPM_CLI_JS%" (
  SET "NPM_CLI_JS=%NPM_PREFIX_NPM_CLI_JS%"
)

"%NODE_EXE%" "%NPM_CLI_JS%" %*

I filed an issue and this warning got fixed with npm 8.12.1. -g is not deprecated anymore.

Oestrogen

good to know! just updated npm to 8.12.1 and it seems fixed. thanks – Lemus

I updated to npm 8.12.1 with npm install -g npm@latest but I still get npm WARN config global --global, --local` are deprecated. Use --location=global instead.` – Rhnegative

@Lemus You updated to npm 8.12.1 and when you do npm -v, you no longer get this warning? – Rhnegative

Upgrading npm on Windows doesn't work with npm itself like on Linux. You have to use npm-windows-upgrade to update the wrapper script npm.cmd at the right location. npmjs.com/package/npm-windows-upgrade – Oestrogen

@DinaM. yes, I no long see that warning. Simply updated npm with npm -g update, not sure if that would help. – Lemus

@Lemus Thanks for your reply. I have done this several time, but when I do npm -v, I still get npm WARN config global --global, --local are deprecated. Use --location=global instead. 8.12.1 – Rhnegative

@DinaM. please try npm-windows-upgrade when on Windows. npm updates itself in the "wrong" directory and not in the node installation path. npm-windows-upgrade will fix that for you. – Oestrogen

@Oestrogen Thank you Lars. Your suggestion did exactly what I wanted to see happen. Cheers – Rhnegative

Working in My case... For change you are open these any program but with adminstrator only – Alarcon

Answer 5

When I check the npm version then I see this error:

npm -v

Show the error:

npm WARN config global --global, --local are deprecated. Use --location=global instead. 8.11.0

Solution:

1. Go to "C:\Program Files\nodejs"
2. Open Visual Studio Code in that directory
3. Open four files: npm, npm.cmd, npx, npx.cmd
4. Change prefix -g to prefix --location=global
5. Save and run npm -v

Kapor

Nice fix! I just used this, funny you posted this like 3 hours ago :D – Evaevacuant

This fixes npm -v but not npm i -g or npm i --location=global. Actuall, no npm i command works for me. – Abortion

Hi, @AdamJagosz closed your terminal / editor and start again. If it's not working then restart your system. If you did the changes, then it's should work. run: npm -v -g & npm -v. This is my current status: ``` D:\MK>npm -v -g npm WARN config global --global, --local are deprecated. Use --location=global instead. 8.11.0 D:\MK>npm -v 8.11.0 ``` – Kapor

I have node installed by nvm for Windows, so I replaced the occurences in C:\Users\adamj\AppData\Roaming\nvm\v16.16.0. This is what I get after that: npm i --location=global [email protected] npm ERR! Unexpected token '.' I should also mention I have no such files at C:\Windows\System32. – Abortion

Excellent! The warning is gone, short and precise solution. – Imre

Answer 6

Use:

npm install -g npm-windows-upgrade

npm-windows-upgrade

Select the latest version.

Gibbie

On Windows 11, I first installed npm 8.16. Then I ran npm install -g npm-windows-upgrade as you suggested. Thereafter, npm -v still displayed: npm WARN config global --global, --local are deprecated. Use --location=global instead. – Roanna

Info: npm-windows-upgrade requires Admin Rights. – Figueroa

Answer 7

You didn’t get an error. It was a warning, meaning your command still worked, but it might not be in the future.

Try this:

npm install --location=global create-react-app

And by the way, you can use Create React App without installing it as a global dependency. Like this:

npx create-react-app your-project-name

Lemus

Answer 8

Issue still there on 8.12.1

npm -v

npm WARN config global --global, --local are deprecated. Use --location=global instead.

8.12.1

It is solved by:

open the file with run as administrator other wise you cant edit.

C:\Program Files\nodejs\npm.cmd

The default code will be:

:: Created by npm, please don't edit manually.
@ECHO OFF

SETLOCAL

SET "NODE_EXE=%~dp0\node.exe"
IF NOT EXIST "%NODE_EXE%" (
  SET "NODE_EXE=node"
)

SET "NPM_CLI_JS=%~dp0\node_modules\npm\bin\npm-cli.js"
FOR /F "delims=" %%F IN ('CALL "%NODE_EXE%" "%NPM_CLI_JS%" prefix -g') DO (
  SET "NPM_PREFIX_NPM_CLI_JS=%%F\node_modules\npm\bin\npm-cli.js"
)
IF EXIST "%NPM_PREFIX_NPM_CLI_JS%" (
  SET "NPM_CLI_JS=%NPM_PREFIX_NPM_CLI_JS%"
)

"%NODE_EXE%" "%NPM_CLI_JS%" %*

Replace above code with the following code:

:: Created by npm, please don't edit manually.
@ECHO OFF

SETLOCAL

SET "NODE_EXE=%~dp0\node.exe"
IF NOT EXIST "%NODE_EXE%" (
  SET "NODE_EXE=node"
)

SET "NPM_CLI_JS=%~dp0\node_modules\npm\bin\npm-cli.js"
FOR /F "delims=" %%F IN ('CALL "%NODE_EXE%" "%NPM_CLI_JS%" prefix --location=global') DO (
  SET "NPM_PREFIX_NPM_CLI_JS=%%F\node_modules\npm\bin\npm-cli.js"
)
IF EXIST "%NPM_PREFIX_NPM_CLI_JS%" (
  SET "NPM_CLI_JS=%NPM_PREFIX_NPM_CLI_JS%"
)

"%NODE_EXE%" "%NPM_CLI_JS%" %*

npm -v

8.12.1

Jujitsu

Answer 9

If you are on Windows, try the following as administrator:

npm install -g npm-windows-upgrade
npm-windows-upgrade

and select version 8.12.1 (latest) for installation.

Ber

Or just npx npm-windows-upgrade – Mackinnon

Answer 10

Use the latest npm to fix this issue. Use the given command.

npm install --global npm@latest

Metamerism

Answer 11

This seemed to solve the issue for me:

npm install --legacy-peer-deps

I am running a new install of Windows 11 and installed it.

Determination

Answer 12

Change prefix -g to prefix --location=global in the npm.cmd file, as well as the npx.cmd file.

Kelcy

Answer 13

The error is due to a bug in [email protected] which is fixed in 8.12.

I was trying to use Node.js 16.16.0 installed via NVM for Windows, and at the moment of this writing it installs [email protected] with it. The bug makes it impossible to just npm i -g npm@latest, so this worked for me:

1. Download [email protected] manually from https://libraries.io/npm/npm
2. Check the Node.js location: nvm root (the path may be similar to C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\nvm)
3. Extract the downloaded npm to v16.16.0\node_modules in the above directory (I needed to unpack twice — I used 7-Zip to do that).

Abortion

This should be at the top, for relevant issue see, github.com/npm/cli/issues/5228 – Mcginn

Answer 14

I just had the same problem. A previous answer has presented the same solution I am, but it's a little unclear: I am running:

Node 16.16.0

NPM 8.15.0

I replaced: 'prefix -g' with 'prefix --location=global' in two scripts. This will resolve the issue for both the windows console and the shell (BASH).

Fix -- c:\programfiles\nodejs\npm.cmd //line 12

Line before change:

FOR /F "delims=" %%F IN ('CALL "%NODE_EXE%" "%NPM_CLI_JS%" prefix -g' (

Line after change:

FOR /F "delims=" %%F IN ('CALL "%NODE_EXE%" "%NPM_CLI_JS%" prefix --location=global') DO (

Fix-- c:\programfiles\nodejs\npm //line 23

Line before change:

NPM_PREFIX=`"$NODE_EXE" "$NPM_CLI_JS" prefix -g`

Line after change:

NPM_PREFIX=`"$NODE_EXE" "$NPM_CLI_JS" prefix --location=global`

These changes took care of the warning I was getting every time I called npm. Hope that this clarifies and helps!

This was tested on Windows 11 Pro, Windows 10 Pro, Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS (GNU/Linux 5.10.102.1-microsoft-standard-WSL2 x86_64).

I use the following shells:

• GitBash
• PowerShell
• cmd
• Ubunto (WSL) Hope that clears things up!

Verniavernice

On Windows, presumably? And using CMD, not PowerShell? What version and edition of Windows was this tested on? Windows 10 Home? What shell? Please respond by editing (changing) your answer, not here in comments (******************* without ************** "Edit:", "Update:", or similar - the answer should appear as if it was written today). – Dietsche

"Answer 18" is not reliable. Depending on the view, the order changes with changing votes. And definitely in a different view (e.g., sorted by oldest first). Perhaps link to it directly (use the "Share" link for that answer)? – Dietsche

You are correct Peter Mortensen! Sorry about that. I updated the answer for more clarification – Verniavernice

Answer 15

Based on the answer from Majbah Habib:

For Windows:

1. Go to:

2. Replace in all four files: -g -> --location = global

Joyous

On Windows, presumably? What version and edition was this tested on? Windows 10 Home? Please respond by editing (changing) your answer, not here in comments (******************* without ************** "Edit:", "Update:", or similar - the answer should appear as if it was written today). – Dietsche

Answer 16

Download the latest version of Node.js for Windows

As countless other answers have mentioned, this is caused by a bug in a version of Node.js (specifically, a version of NPM that is bundled with Node), but what no other answer seems to have yet mentioned is the simplest way of solving it.

There's no need to edit any files manually or even run anything in the CLI - just grab the latest version of Node.js from the Node.js site.

Let it install and compile what it needs to, and you'll end up with the latest version of Node.js that no longer contains this warning.

Besides that, it's good practice to keep up to date with the latest version of Node.js/NPM you can, and it saves you from needing to update later when Node.js 16 is EOLed on September 11th, 2023.

Pompadour

Yes! I was just about to write the same answer. Please upvote this answer, guys – Traveled

Answer 17

I got a similar error when I installed version 8.12.1 of npm.

Open Command Prompt on Windows or your inbuilt PowerShell terminal in your IDE Visual Studio Code.

Update your current npm version to the latest by using this code in your terminal.

npm i -g npm@latest

It will first display the same error message for something like two lines. Then proceed to install and update; the updated npm version won't display the error message when you run npm -v.

PS: This was tested on a Windows machine running Windows 10 Pro.

Fiveandten

Re "cmd": Implying Windows? And not using PowerShell? What version and edition of Windows was this tested on? Windows 10 Home? Please respond by editing (changing) your answer, not here in comments (******************* without ************** "Edit:", "Update:", or similar - the answer should appear as if it was written today). – Dietsche

This didn't fix the issue for me, error's still there on the next run. – Pompadour

Hello @HashimAziz which system are you running this on? what is the nodejs version? – Fiveandten

Answer 18

Just use this code:

npm install --force

Claustral

I am still unable to solve this, tried npm install --force yarn but this doesn't work either – Pearson

update your nodejs and npm – Claustral

Answer 19

It's a folder access issue.

Please follow the below steps:

• Right-click on the project folder
• Click on Property
• Uncheck the Read-only checkbox
• Click Apply
• Then try the npm command again

Ellipsis

On Windows, presumably? – Dietsche

Answer 20

It is easy to open and edit the npm.cmd file with Visual Studio Code if you are logged in as administrator.

Right-click the npm.cmd file and choose Open with Code.

The file will open in Visual Studio Code.

Change prefix -g to prefix --location=global

When you are finished and attempt to close the file, Visual Studio Code will have a pop up in the lower right corner with the message:

Failed to save 'npm.cmd': Insufficient permissions. Select 'Retry as Admin' to retry as administrator.

Click 'Retry as Admin'. The npm.cmd file will be saved and the warning no longer appears at start up.

Lowbrow

Answer 21

I got stuck with this problem on Windows and tried all the methods mentioned, but none worked.

This is basically an issue due to the antivirus software. It was considering npm as malware and blocking it. So, I excluded npm from being blocking and it worked.

Grandmamma

how did you include npm from being blocked? – Pearson

Reinstall npm and you will get a notification from your antivirus that npm is blocked, click here to unblock. Click on that and it will unblock the same. – Grandmamma

What antivirus software? Windows Defender? – Dietsche

Maybe the defender or any third party application. – Grandmamma

Answer 22

A message from the author of the Create React App (CRA):

You absolutely should not be installing react-scripts globally.

The Create React App should be installed locally: npx create-react-app my-app.

---

Note: in case of issues when uninstalling, see Error while creating a Create React App.

Steinman

Answer 23

Delete Node.js and install it again, and the problem will be solved.

Glori

Answer 24

npm WARN config global --global, --local are deprecated. Use --location=global instead. You need to install the following packages:

I am facing the above error, so I simply did these steps:

1. don't create a folder to write command npx create-react-app project-name on the same drive where you install Node.js
2. if you install Node.js on the C: drive, then try to make a folder for practicing react on another drive
3. so I make folder on the D: drive, because I install Node.js on the E: drive
4. open a command prompt on the folder and then write the command npx create-react-folder my-app

Then your error is solved.

Moulton

On Windows, presumably? Why would using different drives make any difference? – Dietsche