NPM-ROOT(1) NPM-ROOT(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

**npm-root** - Display npm root

## [Synopsis](#Synopsis)

```
npm root
```

Note: This command is unaware of workspaces.

## [Description](#Description)

Print the effective **node\_modules** folder to standard out.

Useful for using npm in shell scripts that do things with the **node\_modules** folder. For example:

```
#!/bin/bash
global_node_modules="$(npm root --global)"
echo "Global packages installed in: ${global_node_modules}"
```

## [Configuration](#Configuration)

## **global**

- Default: false
- Type: Boolean

Operates in "global" mode, so that packages are installed into the **prefix** folder instead of the current working directory. See npm help folders for more on the differences in behavior.

- packages are installed into the **{prefix}/lib/node\_modules** folder, instead of the current working directory.
- bin files are linked to **{prefix}/bin**
- man pages are linked to **{prefix}/share/man**

## [See Also](#See_Also)

- npm help prefix
- npm help folders
- npm help config
- npm help npmrc

October 2026 NPM@11.21.1

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Document: npm-root(1) from npm-11 11.21.1-r1 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/npm/cli