`dkg-cli install` fails on Linux when run with sudo because the installer forces NVM/Node.js installation as root

[DeImOs-Sj]

Critical Installation Failure: Root Privilege Enforcement Breaks NVM/Node.js Setup on Linux

Description

The main DKG Node installer script (install-dkg-node.sh) contains a critical flaw on Linux systems: it requires root privileges and installs NVM and Node.js under /root/.nvm. This causes npm ci/npm install commands inside dkg-engine (Phase 2) to fail consistently with permission errors, git+ssh access denied, postinstall script failures, or silent exit code 3.

This is the #1 reason why server operators (especially on Ubuntu, Pop!_OS, Debian VPS) fail to install the node even when they have appropriate hardware and configuration.

Steps to Reproduce

1. On any Ubuntu/Debian-based system (including Pop!_OS), run:

   dkg-cli install

2. The script asks for sudo password → user enters it

3. Installation proceeds smoothly until Phase 2 (dkg-engine)

4. npm ci or npm install inside dkg-engine/current fails → installer exits with code 3

5. Even running sudo dkg-cli install directly produces the same failure

Expected Behavior

The installer should:

• Work reliably whether run with or without sudo
• Always install and use NVM/Node.js in the original user's home directory (/home/username/.nvm)
• Only elevate to root when truly needed (apt, mysql, systemd services)
• Running dkg-cli install as a normal user (recommended) should complete successfully in 10–20 minutes

Actual Behavior

The script contains this check in install_packages_linux():

if [[ "$(id -u)" != "0" ]]; then
    error "This script must be run as root on Linux"
    exit 1
fi

This forces root execution, which then installs NVM/Node.js under /root/.nvm instead of the user's home directory, causing all subsequent npm operations to fail.

Root Cause

When the script runs as root:

1. NVM is installed to /root/.nvm
2. Node.js packages are installed with root ownership
3. Phase 2 (dkg-engine) attempts to run npm ci/npm install which:
   • Cannot access user's SSH keys for git+ssh dependencies
   • Encounters permission conflicts
   • Fails postinstall scripts
   • Exits silently with code 3

Suggested Fix (Tested & Working)

1. Remove the root enforcement check (lines ~549–556):

- if [[ "$(id -u)" != "0" ]]; then
-     error "This script must be run as root on Linux"
-     exit 1
- fi

2. Install and load NVM as the real user:

Replace the NVM installation block in install_packages_linux() with:

info "Using NVM at $NVM_DIR (user: $REAL_USER)"

if [[ ! -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ]]; then
    info "Installing NVM for $REAL_USER..."
    sudo -u "$REAL_USER" bash -c 'curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.7/install.sh | bash'
fi

# Load NVM from user's directory
export NVM_DIR="$REAL_HOME/.nvm"
[ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && \. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"

3. Ensure proper environment variable detection:

# Detect real user even when run with sudo
REAL_USER="${SUDO_USER:-$USER}"
REAL_HOME=$(eval echo "~$REAL_USER")
NVM_DIR="$REAL_HOME/.nvm"

Environment

• OS: Ubuntu 20.04 / 22.04 / 24.04, Pop!_OS 22.04, Debian 12
• Architecture: x86_64 / arm64
• Node version: Any (script manages via NVM)
• DKG Node: main branch (latest as of November 2025)

Impact

• Severity: Critical
• Affected Users: All Linux users attempting fresh installations
• Workaround: Complex manual NVM setup before running installer
• User Experience: Installation appears to work until Phase 2, wasting 10+ minutes of setup time

Additional Notes

This issue affects thousands of potential node operators who abandon the installation after repeated failures. The error messages are often cryptic (exit code 3, permission denied, silent failures) making it difficult for users to diagnose.

The suggested fix has been tested successfully on:

• Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Pop!_OS)
• Debian 12
• Ubuntu 24.04 LTS

After implementing this fix, the installation completes successfully without requiring any manual intervention.

[swamala]

Thanks @DeImOs-Sj
we will fix this issue in the next release

[swamala]

@DeImOs-Sj this issues has been resolved in latest dkg-cli version (v1.0.24)