error installing coffeescript on mac 10.7.2

Question

Node and npm are both installed and up to date but keep getting this error when trying to install coffeescript. I am still new to programming so any advice would be greatly

Answer 1

The error message is fairly clear:

npm ERR! Error: EACCES, permission denied '/usr/local/lib/node_modules/___coffee-script.npm'
npm ERR! 
npm ERR! Please try running this command again as root/Administrator.

You can't install it in /usr/local/lib/node_modules because you don't have the necessary permissions. Try using sudo:

dylan-hermans-macbook:~ sudo npm install -g coffee-script

---

The npm author recommends not using sudo because packages can run arbitrary commands so sudo npm install is dangerous. He suggests switching the ownership of /usr/local to your user. I think that's horribly advice that just gives you a false sense of security: if a package can run arbitrary commands then it can mess with your home directory (including all your personal data, executables, config and startup files, ...) regardless of sudo or who owns /usr/local so not using sudo really doesn't do much for you. If you don't trust a package then don't install it; if you don't trust a package then how can you even use it? The /usr/local tree is still a system directory tree and OSX is still a multi-user operating system.

IMO a much better solution is twofold:

1. Don't install or use any packages that you don't trust. If you install it then you're trusting that code to be you (unless you're always going to run it in a jail of some sort but if you're going to those lengths you're probably better off writing the code yourself).
2. Leave sudo and /usr/local alone and install it all inside your home directory. You'll be subject to most of the same dangers as using sudo or changing the /usr/local ownership but at least you won't be picking up bad habits.