[BUG] `npm i` splits command line arguments incorrectly

[mwaibel-go]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

This issue exists in the latest npm version

• I am using the latest npm

Current Behavior

When installing a package with a version range, npm installs the package 'undefined' because it parses the command line arguments wrong.

Expected Behavior

When installing a package with a version range, it should install the requested package at one of the requested versions, preferrably the lowest (IMHO), and not install the undefined package.

Steps To Reproduce

$ mkdir npm-repro
$ cd npm-repro
$ npm i typescript@">=2.0.0 <5.0.0" --verbose
npm i typescript@">=2.0.0 <5.0.0" --verbose
npm verbose cli /home/mwaibel/bin/node-v18.20.3-linux-x64/bin/node /home/mwaibel/bin/node-v18.20.3-linux-x64/bin/npm
npm info using npm@10.8.2
npm info using node@v18.20.3
npm verbose title npm i typescript@>=2.0.0 <5.0.0
npm verbose argv "i" "typescript@>=2.0.0" "<5.0.0" "--loglevel" "verbose"

Note in the line above: "i" "typescript@>=2.0.0" "<5.0.0" – the version ranges got separated.

npm verbose logfile logs-max:10 dir:/home/mwaibel/.npm/_logs/2024-07-24T15_01_15_655Z-
npm verbose logfile /home/mwaibel/.npm/_logs/2024-07-24T15_01_15_655Z-debug-0.log
npm http fetch GET 200 https://npm.global-office.de/undefined 97ms (cache revalidated)
npm http fetch GET 200 https://npm.global-office.de/typescript 811ms (cache updated)
npm http fetch GET 200 https://npm.global-office.de/undefined 27ms (cache updated)
npm warn deprecated undefined@0.1.0: this package has been deprecated
npm http fetch POST 200 https://npm.global-office.de/-/npm/v1/security/advisories/bulk 256ms
npm http fetch GET 200 https://npm.global-office.de/typescript/-/typescript-5.5.4.tgz 1112ms (cache miss)

added 2 packages, and audited 3 packages in 2s

found 0 vulnerabilities
npm verbose cwd /home/mwaibel/tmp/npm-repro
npm verbose os Linux 5.10.102.1-microsoft-standard-WSL2
npm verbose node v18.20.3
npm verbose npm  v10.8.2
npm verbose exit 0
npm info ok

Environment

• npm: 10.8.2
• Node.js: 10.20.3
• OS Name: Ubuntu (uname -a: Linux MAX-LAPTOP 5.10.102.1-microsoft-standard-WSL2 archive: committable offline dependency archive #1 SMP Wed Mar 2 00:30:59 UTC 2022 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux)
• System Model Name:
• npm config:

; copy and paste output from `npm config ls` here

[milaninfy]

@mwaibel-go
I tried in Mac as well as WSL for both it's installing correctly. Not able to reproduce your case. If possible Could you please provide a full log file? is it happening with other packages ?

~/workarea/rep $ node -v
v18.20.3
~/workarea/rep $ npm -v
10.8.2
~/workarea/rep $ npm i typescript@">=2.0.0 <5.0.0" --ddd
npm verbose cli /Users/milaninfy/.nvm/versions/node/v18.20.3/bin/node /Users/milaninfy/.nvm/versions/node/v18.20.3/bin/npm
npm info using npm@10.8.2
npm info using node@v18.20.3
npm silly config load:file:/Users/milaninfy/.nvm/versions/node/v18.20.3/lib/node_modules/npm/npmrc
npm silly config load:file:/Users/milaninfy/workarea/rep/.npmrc
npm silly config load:file:/Users/milaninfy/.npmrc
npm silly config load:file:/Users/milaninfy/.nvm/versions/node/v18.20.3/etc/npmrc
npm verbose title npm i typescript@>=2.0.0 <5.0.0
npm verbose argv "i" "typescript@>=2.0.0 <5.0.0" "--loglevel" "silly"
npm verbose logfile logs-max:10 dir:/Users/milaninfy/.npm/_logs/2024-07-25T13_37_45_626Z-
npm verbose logfile /Users/milaninfy/.npm/_logs/2024-07-25T13_37_45_626Z-debug-0.log
npm silly packumentCache heap:4345298944 maxSize:1086324736 maxEntrySize:543162368
npm silly logfile start cleaning logs, removing 1 files
npm silly logfile done cleaning log files
npm silly idealTree buildDeps
npm silly fetch manifest typescript@>=2.0.0 <5.0.0
npm silly packumentCache full:https://registry.npmjs.org/typescript cache-miss
npm http fetch GET 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/typescript 23ms (cache hit)
npm silly packumentCache full:https://registry.npmjs.org/typescript set size:13026911 disposed:false
npm silly placeDep ROOT typescript@4.9.5 OK for: rep@1.0.0 want: >=2.0.0 <5.0.0
npm silly reify moves {}
npm silly audit bulk request { typescript: [ '4.9.5' ] }
npm http fetch POST 200 https://registry.npmjs.org/-/npm/v1/security/advisories/bulk 306ms
npm silly audit report {}
npm silly ADD node_modules/typescript

added 1 package, and audited 2 packages in 663ms

found 0 vulnerabilities
npm verbose cwd /Users/milaninfy/workarea/rep
npm verbose os Darwin 23.5.0
npm verbose node v18.20.3
npm verbose npm  v10.8.2
npm verbose exit 0
npm info ok
~/workarea/rep $ npm ls
rep@1.0.0 /Users/milaninfy/workarea/rep
└── typescript@4.9.5

[mwaibel-go]

I’m sorry for the noise. I had aliased the npm command (wrongly) and forgotten about that.