fix(nodejs): remove npm prefix configuration incompatible with NVM

NVM manages global packages in version-specific directories, and setting
a custom npm prefix causes conflicts and errors. Updated nodejs extension
to use NVM's built-in global package management instead of a custom
~/.npm-global directory.

Changes:
- Removed npm config set prefix command
- Removed custom npm-global directory creation
- Added cleanup for existing conflicting prefix configs
- Updated validation to check for NVM-managed paths
- Updated documentation with proper guidance

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.com/claude-code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>

Author: pacphi

docker/lib/extensions.d/README.md

@@ -452,13 +452,35 @@ Use provided print functions:
 - `print_debug` - Debug output (only when DEBUG=true)
 
 ### 5. User-Space Installation
-Avoid sudo when possible:
+Avoid sudo when possible. Use version managers and user-space installation methods:
+
 ```bash
-# Good: User-space installation
-npm config set prefix "$HOME/.npm-global"
+# Good: Use version managers (recommended pattern)
+curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.3/install.sh | bash  # Node.js
+curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh                 # Rust
+curl -s "https://get.sdkman.io" | bash                                          # JVM languages
+
+# Good: Language package managers with user flags
+# Note: Replace "package" with actual package name (e.g., requests, ripgrep, rails)
+pip install --user package            # Python
+cargo install package                 # Rust (installs to ~/.cargo/bin)
+gem install --user-install package    # Ruby
 
 # Avoid: System-wide installation requiring sudo
 sudo npm install -g package
+sudo pip install package
+sudo gem install package
+```
+
+**Important for Node.js/NVM**: Do NOT set npm prefix when using NVM:
+```bash
+# WRONG: Conflicts with NVM
+npm config set prefix "$HOME/.npm-global"
+
+# CORRECT: Let NVM manage global packages
+# NVM already provides user-space global installs without sudo
+# Global packages install to: $NVM_DIR/versions/node/vX.X.X/bin
+npm install -g package  # No sudo needed, installs to NVM directory
 ```
 
 ### 6. SSH Session Support

docker/lib/extensions.d/nodejs.sh.example

@@ -119,17 +119,13 @@ configure() {
   export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"
   [ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && \. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"
 
-  # Setup npm global directory in user space (avoid sudo for global packages)
-  local npm_global_dir="$HOME/.npm-global"
+  # NOTE: Do NOT set npm prefix when using NVM
+  # NVM manages global packages in version-specific directories:
+  # $NVM_DIR/versions/node/vX.X.X/lib/node_modules
+  # Setting a custom prefix is incompatible with NVM and causes errors.
+  # NVM already provides user-space global installs without sudo.
 
-  if [[ ! -d "$npm_global_dir" ]]; then
-    mkdir -p "$npm_global_dir"
-    npm config set prefix "$npm_global_dir" --location=global
-    print_success "npm global directory configured: $npm_global_dir"
-  fi
-
-  # Add NVM and npm global bin to PATH
-  local npm_bin_path="$npm_global_dir/bin"
+  # Add NVM to shell configuration
   if ! grep -q "NVM_DIR" "$HOME/.bashrc" 2>/dev/null; then
     echo "" >> "$HOME/.bashrc"
     echo "# ${EXT_NAME} - NVM (Node Version Manager)" >> "$HOME/.bashrc"
@@ -139,26 +135,14 @@ configure() {
     print_success "Added NVM loading to .bashrc"
   fi
 
-  if [[ -d "$npm_bin_path" ]]; then
-    if ! grep -q "$npm_bin_path" "$HOME/.bashrc" 2>/dev/null; then
-      echo "" >> "$HOME/.bashrc"
-      echo "# ${EXT_NAME} - npm global packages" >> "$HOME/.bashrc"
-      echo "export PATH=\"$npm_bin_path:\$PATH\"" >> "$HOME/.bashrc"
-      print_success "Added npm global bin to PATH"
-    fi
-
-    # Export for current session
-    export PATH="$npm_bin_path:$PATH"
-  fi
-
   # Setup SSH wrapper for node/npm/nvm
   if command_exists node; then
     local node_path=$(which node)
     local npm_path=$(which npm)
 
     if command_exists setup_tool_path 2>/dev/null; then
       setup_tool_path "${EXT_NAME}" \
-        "export NVM_DIR=\"\$HOME/.nvm\"; [ -s \"\$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh\" ] && \\. \"\$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh\"; export PATH=\"$npm_bin_path:\$PATH\""
+        "export NVM_DIR=\"\$HOME/.nvm\"; [ -s \"\$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh\" ] && \\. \"\$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh\""
     fi
 
     if command_exists create_tool_wrapper 2>/dev/null; then
@@ -171,7 +155,14 @@ configure() {
   # Set npm to use less verbose output
   npm config set loglevel warn 2>/dev/null || true
 
+  # Clean up any existing prefix configuration that conflicts with NVM
+  if npm config get prefix 2>/dev/null | grep -q "npm-global"; then
+    print_warning "Removing incompatible npm prefix configuration..."
+    npm config delete prefix 2>/dev/null || true
+  fi
+
   print_success "Node.js configuration completed"
+  print_status "Global packages will be installed to: \$NVM_DIR/versions/node/\$(nvm current)/bin"
   return 0
 }
 
@@ -243,10 +234,15 @@ validate() {
     fi
   fi
 
-  # Check npm global directory
+  # Check npm global directory - should be NVM-managed, not custom prefix
   local npm_prefix=$(npm config get prefix 2>/dev/null || echo "")
   if [[ -n "$npm_prefix" ]]; then
-    print_status "npm global prefix: $npm_prefix"
+    # Verify it's an NVM-managed path (contains .nvm in the path)
+    if [[ "$npm_prefix" == *".nvm"* ]]; then
+      print_success "npm prefix: $npm_prefix (NVM-managed)"
+    else
+      print_warning "npm prefix: $npm_prefix (not NVM-managed, may cause issues)"
+    fi
   fi
 
   # Test NVM version switching capability
@@ -308,9 +304,13 @@ status() {
     print_status "Installed Node versions: $installed_versions"
   fi
 
-  # Show npm global directory
+  # Show npm global directory (should be NVM-managed)
   local npm_prefix=$(npm config get prefix 2>/dev/null || echo "unknown")
-  print_status "npm global prefix: $npm_prefix"
+  if [[ "$npm_prefix" == *".nvm"* ]]; then
+    print_status "npm global prefix: $npm_prefix (NVM-managed ✓)"
+  else
+    print_warning "npm global prefix: $npm_prefix (should be NVM-managed)"
+  fi
 
   # Show global packages count
   local global_count
@@ -357,21 +357,12 @@ remove() {
     print_warning "NVM is not installed"
   fi
 
-  # Remove npm global directory
-  local npm_global_dir="$HOME/.npm-global"
-  if [[ -d "$npm_global_dir" ]]; then
-    print_warning "npm global directory exists: $npm_global_dir"
-    if prompt_confirmation "Remove npm global directory and all global packages?"; then
-      rm -rf "$npm_global_dir"
-      print_success "npm global directory removed"
-    else
-      print_status "npm global directory preserved"
-    fi
-  fi
+  # Note: NVM manages global packages in version-specific directories
+  # These are automatically removed when NVM directory is deleted
+  print_status "Global packages are managed by NVM and will be removed with NVM directory"
 
   # Remove bashrc entries
   cleanup_bashrc "# ${EXT_NAME} - NVM"
-  cleanup_bashrc "# ${EXT_NAME} - npm global packages"
 
   print_success "Node.js and NVM uninstalled"
   print_warning "Restart your shell or run: source ~/.bashrc"

test-nodejs-fix.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Test script to validate nodejs extension NVM compatibility fix
+# This simulates the exact same steps as the CI integration test
+
+set -e
+
+echo "🧪 Testing nodejs extension NVM compatibility fix..."
+echo ""
+
+# Cleanup function
+cleanup() {
+  echo ""
+  echo "🧹 Cleaning up..."
+  docker rm -f sindri-test-nodejs 2>/dev/null || true
+}
+
+# Register cleanup on exit
+trap cleanup EXIT
+
+# Build minimal test container
+echo "📦 Building test container..."
+docker build -t sindri-test-nodejs -f - . <<'DOCKERFILE'
+FROM ubuntu:24.04
+
+ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
+ENV LANG=C.UTF-8
+ENV LC_ALL=C.UTF-8
+
+# Install minimal dependencies
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
+    curl \
+    git \
+    bash \
+    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+
+# Create test user
+RUN useradd -m -s /bin/bash developer
+
+# Copy extension files (matching production paths)
+COPY docker/lib/extensions.d/nodejs.sh.example /workspace/scripts/lib/nodejs.sh
+COPY docker/lib/extensions-common.sh /workspace/scripts/extensions-common.sh
+RUN mkdir -p /workspace/scripts/lib/extensions.d
+
+RUN chown -R developer:developer /workspace
+
+USER developer
+WORKDIR /home/developer
+
+DOCKERFILE
+
+echo "✅ Test container built"
+echo ""
+
+# Run the test in container
+echo "🔬 Running nodejs extension test..."
+docker run --name sindri-test-nodejs sindri-test-nodejs /bin/bash -c '
+set -e
+
+echo "Step 1: Installing nodejs extension..."
+cd /workspace/scripts/lib
+bash nodejs.sh install
+echo "✅ Installation completed"
+echo ""
+
+echo "Step 2: Configuring nodejs extension..."
+bash nodejs.sh configure
+echo "✅ Configuration completed"
+echo ""
+
+echo "Step 3: Checking for NVM prefix conflict..."
+export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"
+[ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && \. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"
+
+# This should NOT show the error anymore
+if npm config get prefix 2>&1 | grep -q "npm-global"; then
+  echo "❌ FAIL: npm prefix is still set to npm-global (conflicts with NVM)"
+  exit 1
+else
+  echo "✅ PASS: npm prefix is NVM-managed"
+fi
+echo ""
+
+echo "Step 4: Validating node command (CI validation step)..."
+# This is the exact command from the CI test
+if source ~/.nvm/nvm.sh 2>/dev/null && command -v node && node --version; then
+  echo "✅ PASS: node command works"
+else
+  echo "❌ FAIL: node command validation failed"
+  exit 1
+fi
+echo ""
+
+echo "Step 5: Checking NVM compatibility..."
+# This would show the error if prefix is misconfigured
+if nvm current 2>&1 | grep -q "globalconfig.*incompatible"; then
+  echo "❌ FAIL: NVM shows compatibility error"
+  exit 1
+else
+  echo "✅ PASS: NVM has no compatibility errors"
+fi
+echo ""
+
+echo "Step 6: Test npm global install (without sudo)..."
+npm install -g cowsay 2>&1 | tee /tmp/npm-install.log
+if grep -q "globalconfig.*incompatible" /tmp/npm-install.log; then
+  echo "❌ FAIL: npm global install shows NVM incompatibility"
+  exit 1
+else
+  echo "✅ PASS: npm global install works without errors"
+fi
+echo ""
+
+echo "Step 7: Verify global package location..."
+npm_prefix=$(npm config get prefix)
+if [[ "$npm_prefix" == *".nvm"* ]]; then
+  echo "✅ PASS: Global packages install to NVM directory: $npm_prefix"
+else
+  echo "❌ FAIL: Global packages not in NVM directory: $npm_prefix"
+  exit 1
+fi
+echo ""
+
+echo "🎉 All tests passed! The nodejs extension is NVM-compatible."
+'
+
+echo ""
+echo "✅ Test completed successfully!"
+echo "The fix resolves the NVM compatibility issue."