EACCES: permission denied, access /usr/local/lib/node_modules

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Borislav Hadzhiev

Last updated: Apr 5, 2024
5 min

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# Table of Contents

  1. EACCES: permission denied, access /usr/local/lib/node_modules
  2. VS CODE: EACCES: permission denied, unlink '/usr/local/bin/code'

Note: if you got the VS Code error: EACCES: permission denied or "EACCES: permission denied, unlink '/usr/local/bin/code'", click on the second subheading.

# EACCES: permission denied, access /usr/local/lib/node_modules

The error "EACCES: permission denied, access '/usr/local/lib/node_modules'" occurs when the specified directory is owned by the root user.

To solve the error, change the owner of the directory to the current user.

shell
npm ERR! path /usr/local/lib/node_modules
npm ERR! code EACCES
npm ERR! errno -13
npm ERR! syscall access
npm ERR! Error: EACCES: permission denied, access '/usr/local/lib/node_modules'
npm ERR!  { Error: EACCES: permission denied, access '/usr/local/lib/node_modules'
npm ERR!   errno: -13,
npm ERR!   code: 'EACCES',
npm ERR!   syscall: 'access',
npm ERR!   path: '/usr/local/lib/node_modules' }
npm ERR!
npm ERR! Please try running this command again as root/Administrator.

# Running npm commands prefixed with sudo

You can install npm modules with the sudo prefix, such as:

shell
sudo npm install -g live-server

Make sure to replace live-server with the name of the module you're trying to install.

However, this is not a good practice because it often causes permission issues in the future.

When npm is run with the sudo prefix, the root user has ownership over the created files.

This causes issues when a non-root user tries to access the files.

The article offers some more long-term solutions.

# Correcting the permissions of the directory

Run the following command from your terminal to check which user owns the /usr/local/lib/node_modules directory.

shell
ls -la /usr/local/lib/node_modules

Your output should be something similar to the following.

shell
drwxr-xr-x   3 root  wheel  102 Mar 10 13:35 node_modules

Notice that the directory is owned by the root user.

To resolve the issue, we have to change the ownership of the directory to the current user.

shell
sudo chown -R $USER /usr/local/lib/node_modules

The command changes the ownership of the directory to the current user.

The $USER environment variable resolves to the current user.

shell
echo $USER

user environment variable

You can also explicitly set the username when running the command.

shell
sudo chown -R YOUR_USER /usr/local/lib/node_modules

Make sure to replace the YOUR_USER placeholder with your actual username.

# Changing NPM's default directory

An alternative approach to resolving the error is to change NPM's default directory.

  1. Back up your computer. (Optional)

  2. Create a directory for global installations.

shell
mkdir ~/.npm-global
  1. Configure NPM to use the new directory.
shell
npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'
  1. Use your preferred text editor to create a ~/.profile file and add the following line.
shell
export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH

For example, you can use gedit, nano or vim.

shell
# using `gedit`
gedit ~/.profile

# using `nano`
nano ~/.profile

# using `vim`
vim ~/.profile
  1. Source the ~/.profile file from your terminal.
shell
source ~/.profile

Try to install a package globally without using sudo to verify the error is resolved.

shell
npm install -g live-server

You can also use the NPM_CONFIG_PREFIX command if you don't want to override the ~/.profile file.

shell
NPM_CONFIG_PREFIX=~/.npm-global npm install -g live-server

Note: instead of installing modules globally, you can also use the npx command.

The npx command uses a local installation of the specified module if it's present, otherwise, it installs it.

For example, the following command works, even if you don't have create-react-app installed.

shell
npx create-react-app --version

# Using NVM to manage your Node.js version

An alternative approach is to use nvm to manage your Node.js version.

NVM is quite popular and easy to use as it allows you to switch your Node.js version with a single command.

You also won't encounter any permission issues when using NVM and don't have to prefix commands with sudo.

You can run one of the following commands to install NVM on macOS or Linux.

shell
# with `curl`
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.3/install.sh | bash

Alternatively, you can use wget.

shell
# with `wget`
wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.3/install.sh | bash

The command clones the NVM repository and configures NVM on your machine.

You can use the following command to install the latest version of Node.js with NVM.

shell
nvm install node

node is an alias for the latest version.

Run the following command to switch to the installed version.

shell
nvm use node

You can also install a specific Node.js version using NVM.

shell
# install Node.js 19.7
nvm install 19.7

# switch to Node.js 19.7
nvm use 19.7

Use the node --version command to check your Node.js version.

shell
node --version

Try to install a global module without prefixing the command with sudo to verify you don't get any permission errors.

shell
npm install -g live-server

# If nothing else works, use the --unsafe-perm flag

If nothing else works, try to run the command with the --unsafe-perm when installing the module.

shell
sudo npm install -g live-server --unsafe-perm

Make sure to replace live-server with the name of the module you're trying to install.

The --unsafe-perm flag forces npm to download the package's binary.

If the error persists, try to add the --allow-root flag.

shell
sudo npm install -g live-server --unsafe-perm=true --allow-root

# VS CODE: EACCES: permission denied, unlink '/usr/local/bin/code'

The VS Code errors "EACCES: permission denied, unlink '/usr/local/bin/code'" or "EACCES: permission denied'" occur when we run VS Code as root or try to access a project that is owned by another user and not the currently logged-in user.

The first thing you should try is to reinstall the 'code' command in PATH.

In Visual Studio Code:

  1. Press:
  • Ctrl + Shift + P on Windows and Linux
  • Command + Shift + P on macOS
Note: you can also press F1 to open the Command Palette.
  1. Type uninstall 'code' and select Shell Command: Uninstall 'code' command from PATH.

Now you have to install the 'code' command in PATH.

  1. Press:
  • Ctrl + Shift + P on Windows and Linux
  • Command + Shift + P on macOS
  1. Type install 'code' and select Shell Command: Install 'code' command in PATH.

Try to restart VS Code if the issue persists.

# Changing the ownership of the /usr/local/bin/code directory

If the error persists, try changing the ownership of the /usr/local/bin/code directory.

Run the following command from your terminal to check which user owns the /usr/local/bin/code directory.

shell
ls -la /usr/local/bin/code

Your output should be something similar to the following.

shell
drwxr-xr-x   3 root  wheel  102 Mar 10 13:35 code

Notice that the directory is owned by the root user.

To resolve the issue, we have to change the ownership of the directory to the current user.

shell
sudo chown -R $USER /usr/local/bin/code

The command changes the ownership of the directory to the current user.

# Changing the ownership of your project's directory

If the error message contains a path to your project's directory, e.g. "EACCES: permission denied, open '/Users/MyUser/MyProject'", you have to change the ownership of the directory.

shell
sudo chown -R $USER /path/to/the/directory

Make sure to replace the path placeholder with the actual path to the directory.

Alternatively, you can open your terminal in the parent directory and specify the directory's name.

shell
# run from the parent directory
sudo chown -R $USER <DIRECTORY_NAME>

The command changes the ownership of the directory to the current user, so you will be able to access it without root privileges.

The $USER environment variable resolves to the current user.

shell
echo $USER

user environment variable

Alternatively, you can specify the user explicitly.

shell
sudo chown -R <YOUR_USER> /path/to/the/directory

# Changing the ownership of the .vscode executable

If the error persists and you are on macOS or Linux, try to change the ownership of the .vscode executable.

Try running the following command on macOS.

shell
# macOS
sudo chown -R $(whoami) /Users/$(whoami)/.vscode

Try running the following command on Linux.

shell
# Linux
sudo chown -R $(whoami) ~/.vscode/

# Reinstalling VS Code

If the error persists, try to reinstall VS Code.

You can download the installer from the official visualstudio.com website.

# Additional Resources

You can learn more about the related topics by checking out the following tutorials:

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