The npm ENOENT error when reading user configuration files occurs when npm cannot find or access your .npmrc file or related config directories. This typically affects Windows users when the npm folder structure is missing or corrupted.
ENOENT stands for 'Error NO ENTry'. This error means npm is trying to read your user configuration file (usually ~/.npmrc) but cannot find it or access it. This can happen because the file path is invalid, the file is corrupted, permissions are restricted, or the directory structure npm expects doesn't exist.
Check where npm is looking for your user configuration file:
npm config get userconfig
# Output: /Users/username/.npmrc (macOS/Linux)
# Output: C:\\Users\\username\\.npmrc (Windows)On Windows, if the AppData\\Roaming\\npm folder doesn't exist:
1. Open File Explorer
2. Navigate to: C:\\Users\\<your-username>\\AppData\\Roaming
3. Create a new folder named npm
Or from Command Prompt:
mkdir %APPDATA%\\npmA corrupted .npmrc file is often the culprit. Create a backup, then remove it:
# Linux/macOS
cp ~/.npmrc ~/.npmrc.backup
rm ~/.npmrc
# Windows
copy "%USERPROFILE%\\.npmrc" "%USERPROFILE%\\.npmrc.backup"
del "%USERPROFILE%\\.npmrc"Then try running npm commands again.
Clear npm's cache to remove any stale references:
npm cache clean --forceUpdate npm to fix known config file handling bugs:
npm install -g npm@latestThe npm userconfig file is read before any project-level .npmrc files, making it critical for global settings like registry URLs and authentication tokens. On Windows, the AppData\\Roaming\\npm folder must exist and be writable. If your .npmrc contains invalid syntax or uses deprecated configuration keys, errors can occur.
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