npm ERR! Error: EACCES: permission denied, access '/usr/local/lib/node_modules'

What causes this

npm is trying to write to a directory your user doesn’t own. This happens when:

• Node.js was installed with sudo or from a system package manager, so global packages go to /usr/local/lib/node_modules (owned by root)
• Someone ran sudo npm install -g at some point, which changed ownership of npm directories
• You’re trying to install a global package without the right permissions

The fix is NOT to use sudo npm install. That makes the problem worse by creating more root-owned files in your npm directories.

Fix 1: Use nvm (recommended)

The best long-term fix. nvm installs Node.js in your home directory, so you never need sudo:

# Install nvm
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.7/install.sh | bash

# Restart your terminal, then:
nvm install --lts
nvm use --lts

# Verify — should point to ~/.nvm/
which node
which npm

Now npm install -g works without sudo because everything lives in ~/.nvm/.

Fix 2: Change npm’s default directory

If you don’t want to use nvm, tell npm to use a directory you own:

# Create a directory for global packages
mkdir -p ~/.npm-global

# Configure npm to use it
npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'

# Add to your PATH
echo 'export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.bashrc
# or for zsh:
echo 'export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.zshrc

# Reload your shell
source ~/.bashrc

Now global installs go to ~/.npm-global/ instead of /usr/local/.

Fix 3: Fix ownership of existing directories

If you just need a quick fix and understand the implications:

# Fix ownership of npm directories
sudo chown -R $(whoami) /usr/local/lib/node_modules
sudo chown -R $(whoami) /usr/local/bin
sudo chown -R $(whoami) /usr/local/share

This works but isn’t ideal — other tools also use /usr/local/ and might have issues.

Fix 4: Fix npm cache permissions

Sometimes the error is specifically about the npm cache:

# Fix cache directory ownership
sudo chown -R $(whoami) ~/.npm

# Or clear and recreate it
rm -rf ~/.npm
npm cache clean --force

Fix 5: Use npx instead of global installs

Many tools don’t need to be installed globally:

# ❌ Global install (needs permissions)
npm install -g create-react-app
create-react-app my-app

# ✅ Use npx (no global install needed)
npx create-react-app my-app

Related resources

• npm cheat sheet
• npm complete guide

How to prevent it

• Use nvm to manage Node.js — it avoids all permission issues by keeping everything in your home directory
• Never run sudo npm install -g — it creates root-owned files that cause more EACCES errors later
• Prefer npx over global installs for CLI tools you don’t use daily
• If you’re setting up a new machine, install Node.js via nvm from the start, not from your system package manager