[Solved] Error in npm install from a github url

If you're like me who's used to executing "git clone [github url]" then you may encounter an unusual behavior when using "npm install [github url]" or specifying the git repository inside package.json.

Here's a sample error of using npm install [github path]:

E:\progs\workspace\tmp>npm install https://github.com/mannyvergel/oils-js.git
npm http GET https://github.com/mannyvergel/oils-js.git
npm http 200 https://github.com/mannyvergel/oils-js.git
npm ERR! not a package C:\Users\Manny\AppData\Local\Temp\npm-5216\1390883860006-
0.930888706818223\tmp.tgz
npm ERR! Error: ENOENT, open 'C:\Users\Manny\AppData\Local\Temp\npm-5216\1390883
860006-0.930888706818223\package\package.json'
npm ERR! If you need help, you may report this log at:
npm ERR!     <http://github.com/isaacs/npm/issues>
npm ERR! or email it to:
npm ERR!     <npm-@googlegroups.com>

npm ERR! System Windows_NT 6.2.9200
npm ERR! command "E:\\progs\\nodejs0.10.7\\\\node.exe" "E:\\progs\\nodejs0.10.7\
\node_modules\\npm\\bin\\npm-cli.js" "install" "https://github.com/mannyvergel/o
ils-js.git"
npm ERR! cwd E:\progs\workspace\tmp
npm ERR! node -v v0.10.7
npm ERR! npm -v 1.2.21
npm ERR! path C:\Users\Manny\AppData\Local\Temp\npm-5216\1390883860006-0.9308887
06818223\package\package.json
npm ERR! code ENOENT
npm ERR! errno 34
npm ERR!
npm ERR! Additional logging details can be found in:
npm ERR!     E:\progs\workspace\tmp\npm-debug.log
npm ERR! not ok code 0

The solution is very simple, just prefix your github url with "git+" e.g.

git+https://github.com/mannyvergel/oils-js.git

Use the format in your package.json or npm install, e.g.

npm install git+https://github.com/mannyvergel/oils-js.git