A user of NPM that needs to use `sudo npm` simply did not properly install nodejs into the user directory. NPM is packaged with the node version you are running. So if you installed node with a root user or in a directory that requires root user access you will need to sudo to use `npm`. But if you properly install node under your user you will never have an issue. Anyone that does `sudo npm` did not install nodejs under their user. This may be confusing to people because a lot of tutorials tell you to use `sudo npm`. NPM is a piece of software that is consumed by millions of people and different devices. It is crazy to think there will be no side effects to how people use something where it was not designed.