[BUG] npm config set will change file owner

[zWingz]

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 I exec npm config set reigstry https://registry.npmjs.org/ in docker container, It will change all file's owner

• whoami -> root
• $HOME -> theia
  

Expected Behavior

Do not change file owner

Steps To Reproduce

1. mkdir test-123
2. ls -al
3. npm config set reigstry https://registry.npmjs.org/
4. ls -al

Environment

• npm:8.1.0
• Node.js:16.13.0
• OS Name:ubuntu:20
• System Model Name:
• npm config:

![image](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/13031838/155972873-d36d1ca6-7c3b-4d7a-b6a3-7bd4c9e52ea7.png)

[nlf]

this is caused by npm attempting to force file ownership for files it writes to a user inferred by the parent directory. this feature was initially added to help users avoid issues where if they happened to run, for example, sudo npm i that we would write files owned by root into both their node_modules and their cache.

we've opened an RRFC issue to discuss how we can address this problem in the future, likely by either removing this file ownership change entirely or at the very least making it opt-in. you can follow the discussion here: npm/rfcs#546

since this is something that will require a lot of planning and time, and the current behavior while unfortunate is intentional, i'm going to close this in favor of the RRFC issue.