How to avoid errors installing npm packages globally in Visual Studio Code

I like to use the Integrated Terminal Window inside Visual Studio Code, just because it’s there and it runs commands scoped to the project directory I’m in. I find it faster and more convenient than opening up another command windows or nodejs command window and then having to set the current directory to my project folder.

A common issue I hit is when installing npm packages globally; I get errors trying to do it from the Integrated Terminal Window.

Take the following npm command that tries to install the bower package globally:

npm install -g bower

Running the command throws the following error:

npm ERR! Error: EPERM: operation not permitted, mkdir 'C:\Program Files (x86)\nodejs\node_modules\.staging'

npm ERR! at Error (native)

npm ERR! { [Error: EPERM: operation not permitted, mkdir 'C:\Program Files (x86)\nodejs\node_modules\.staging']

npm ERR! errno: -4048,

npm ERR! code: 'EPERM',

npm ERR! syscall: 'mkdir',

npm ERR! path: 'C:\\Program Files (x86)\\nodejs\\node_modules\\.staging' }

This is because when you install npm packages globally they go into the nodesjs\node_modules directory in program files (rather than in the project folder where you are writing your code). Writing to folders under Program Files requires elevated privileges . To get around this using the Integrated Terminal window in Visual Studio Code just make sure when you start Visual Studio Code that you run as an Administrator.