How to use a different version of python during NPM install?

centos, node.js, npm, python

Solution

You can use `--python` option to npm like so:

npm install --python=python2.7

or set it to be used always:

npm config set python python2.7

Npm will in turn pass this option to node-gyp when needed.

(note: I'm the one who opened an issue on Github to have this included in the docs, as there were so many questions about it ;-) )

Problem

I have terminal access to a VPS running centos 5.9 and default python 2.4.3 installed. I also installed python 2.7.3 via these commands: (I used `make altinstall` instead of `make install`) ``` wget http://www.python.org/ftp/python/2.7.3/Python-2.7.3.tgz tar -xf Python-2.7.3.tgz cd Python-2.7.3 ./configure make make altinstall ``` then I installed node.js from source via these commands: ``` python2.7 ./configure make make install ``` The problem is, when I use `npm install` and try to install a node.js package which requires python > 2.4.3 I get this error: ``` gyp ERR! configure error gyp ERR! stack Error: Python executable "python" is v2.4.3, which is not supported by gyp. gyp ERR! stack You can pass the --python switch to point to Python >= v2.5.0 & < 3.0.0. gyp ERR! stack at failPythonVersion (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/node-gyp/lib/configure.js:125:14) gyp ERR! stack at /usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm/node_modules/node-gyp/lib/configure.js:114:9 ``` how should I "pass the --python switch to point to Python >= v2.5.0"?

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