Getting npm authentication error in GitHub Actions workflow - machine authorization required

[SparklingGem]

I’m encountering an annoying issue with my GitHub Actions workflow. Whenever it attempts to run npm commands, it fails with an authentication error stating that I need to authorize this machine using npm adduser.

This situation is confusing because I believed GitHub Actions could perform npm tasks without requiring manual authentication. I’ve tried various methods but continually face the same issue.

Has anyone else experienced this? I’m uncertain if I’m overlooking a critical setup step or if there’s a specific way to configure npm credentials for GitHub Actions. The error message advises running npm adduser, but that doesn’t seem appropriate for an automated process.

Any help on correctly setting up npm authentication within GitHub Actions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[CharlieLion22]

Check if you’re using scoped packages like @yourcompany/package-name - those need auth even when they look public. Got burned by this when a dependency pulled from a scoped registry. Also make sure your workflow isn’t caching old .npmrc files with bad configs.

[John_Fast]

This happens when your workflow tries to access private npm packages or publish to the registry. You need to set up an NPM_TOKEN in your GitHub repo secrets and reference it in your workflow. In your workflow YAML, add the token to your environment variables: NPM_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}. Then create a .npmrc file during the workflow with //registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken=${NPM_TOKEN}. I ran into this exact issue last month and this fixed it right away. Generate the token from your npm account settings with whatever permissions your workflow needs. Also double-check you’re not trying to access private packages without authentication set up.

[HappyDancer99]

Had the same frustrating experience a few weeks back. Your workflow’s trying to authenticate with npm but doesn’t have the right credentials set up. After you set up the token, make sure you’re putting the .npmrc file in the right spot in your workflow steps. I’ve found it works best to create the .npmrc file right before running npm commands, not at the start. Also check if your package.json has registry configs that might mess things up. Sometimes this happens when you’ve got mixed public and private packages, even if you think everything’s public. The auth requirement can get triggered by dependencies that point to private registries.