npm install -g is more like apt-get install If you don't want global state you could use a VM? It's global because it is not per project. For example, I don't

npm install -g is more like apt-get install If you don't want global state you could use a VM? It's global because it is not per project. For example, I don't want to install a tool in every folder that I might happen to use it in. (Or bother setting paths and symlinks)