npm doesn't work with sudo

[skarmoutsosv]

$ npm -v
8.19.2

$ node -v
v18.10.0

$ which npm
/snap/bin/npm

$ which node
/snap/bin/node

$ echo $PATH
/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/local/games:/usr/games:/snap/bin

$ npm install nodemon
up to date, audited 33 packages in 762ms
3 packages are looking for funding
run npm fund for details
found 0 vulnerabilities

$ sudo npm install -g nodemon
sudo: npm: command not found

[jpayne]

I’m having the same issue. Did you ever figure this out?

[skarmoutsosv]

Unfortunately no.
I had to use sources other than snap to make it work.

[simondeziel]

$ sudo npm install -g nodemon
sudo: npm: command not found

Could you try and see if /snap/bin is in the PATH sudo uses? sudo env | grep ^PATH | grep :/snap/bin should give you one line, like that:

$ sudo env | grep ^PATH | grep :/snap/bin
PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/snap/bin

On Ubuntu at least, the default /etc/sudoers file contains this:

Defaults	secure_path="/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/snap/bin"

[skarmoutsosv]

Although my system is somewhat different than it was at the time reporting this, I am still using Debian and the following might useful about this issue.

$ LC_ALL=C date -u
Sun Feb 16 17:24:38 UTC 2025
$ lsb_release -d
No LSB modules are available.
Description:	Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)
$ uname -srvmo
Linux 6.1.0-31-amd64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Debian 6.1.128-1 (2025-02-07) x86_64 GNU/Linux
$ LC_ALL=C apt list snapd
Listing... Done
snapd/stable,now 2.57.6-1+b5 amd64 [installed]

$ LC_ALL=C sudo npm install -g nodemon
sudo: npm: command not found
$ sudo env |grep ^PATH |grep :/snap/bin
$ sudo cat /etc/sudoers | grep secure_path
Defaults	secure_path="/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin"

[simondeziel]

@skarmoutsosv your last code block confirms that indeed, your secure_path is missing /snap/bin which is why it's not finding the npm binary that lives under that dir.

[rvagg]

Add /snap/bin using visudo if sudo execution is required. This is host configuration rather than a Node Snap defect.