node:15.0.1 Docker container: npm fails to update as instructed by npm

[rwoll]

• Node.js Version: 15.0.1
• OS: macOS + Docker
• Scope (install, code, runtime, meta, other?): other
• Module (and version) (if relevant): N/A

Updating npm as instructed by npm fails in v15.0.1 Docker container. See for repro: npm/cli#2031.

Posting here to help triage where the issue lies and in which repo to report.

[gireeshpunathil]

able to easily recreate:

directly inside the image:

#docker run -it node:15.0.1 bash
root@d8377a56e643:/# node   
Welcome to Node.js v15.0.1.
Type ".help" for more information.
> require('fs').renameSync('/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm', '/usr/local/lib/node_modules/.npm-i9nnxROI')
Uncaught:
Error: EXDEV: cross-device link not permitted, rename '/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm' -> '/usr/local/lib/node_modules/.npm-i9nnxROI'
    at Object.renameSync (node:fs:772:3) {
  errno: -18,
  syscall: 'rename',
  code: 'EXDEV',
  path: '/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm',
  dest: '/usr/local/lib/node_modules/.npm-i9nnxROI'
}
> 
(To exit, press Ctrl+C again or Ctrl+D or type .exit)
> 

using a small C program, that essentially does the same thing:

root@d8377a56e643:/# cat foo.cc
#include <stdio.h>
#include <errno.h>

int main() {
  int ret = rename("/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm", "/usr/local/lib/node_modules/.npm-i9nnxROI");
  fprintf(stderr, "%d %d\n", ret, errno);
}
root@d8377a56e643:/# cc foo.cc
root@d8377a56e643:/# ./a.out
-1 18
root@d8377a56e643:/# 

tracing the process for the rename syscall:

root@d8377a56e643:/# strace -e rename ./a.out
rename("/usr/local/lib/node_modules/npm", "/usr/local/lib/node_modules/.npm-i9nnxROI") = -1 EXDEV (Invalid cross-device link)
-1 18
+++ exited with 0 +++
root@d8377a56e643:/# 

so looks like it is an issue with the version of the base OS that this image uses.

/cc @nodejs/docker to see if they know any issues in this regard.