I recently upgraded npm hoping it would fix some package issues my team was experiencing. Unfortunately, this created compatibility problems since everyone else on my team is still using an older npm version. Now I need to roll back to match what the rest of my colleagues are running.
I had originally updated npm using the standard global installation command npm install npm@latest -g but now I’m not sure how to reverse this process. What’s the proper way to install a specific older version of npm? I want to make sure I don’t break anything else in the process.
First, check the version your team is using with npm --version. After confirming, you can downgrade by executing npm install -g npm@[version-number]. It’s advisable to note your current version in case you need to revert. The install command will automatically overwrite your existing version, so there’s no need for an uninstall. Once done, verify the installation by running npm --version again to ensure you align with your team’s version.
Had this same issue six months ago when our project lead forced everyone onto npm 6.14.15. Clear your npm cache first with npm cache clean --force before installing the older version - saves you from conflicts with cached data that doesn’t play nice between versions. Run npm install -g [email protected] (or whatever version your team’s using), then restart your terminal completely. I skipped that restart and got weird behavior until I opened a fresh session. Takes two minutes but saves hours of debugging headaches.
just use npm install -g npm@your-team-version like if ur team is on 8.19.2, do npm install -g [email protected]. be sure to match that version exactly!