<!--
title: Avoid privileged installations
domain: ai-agents
topic: Security
language: Markdown
source: anthropics/claude-code
updated: 2025-02-28
url: https://awesomereviewers.com/reviewers/claude-code-avoid-privileged-installations/
-->

Always recommend user-level package installations rather than using administrative/root privileges. Installing packages with elevated permissions can compromise system security and stability. Documentation and scripts should explicitly guide users toward safer installation practices.

Example:
```markdown
# Installation

## User-level installation (recommended)
```sh
mkdir -p ~/.local/share/npm-packages
npm config set prefix ~/.local/share/npm-packages
export PATH=~/.local/share/npm-packages/bin:$PATH
npm install -g my-package
```

We recommend installing this package as a regular user, not as an administrative user like root. Installing as a regular user helps maintain your system's security and stability.
```