Why n throws error? Error: sudo required (or change ownership, or define N_PREFIX)

Context

n command downloads and installs to /usr/local by default, creating the /usr/local/n folder with these permissions by default:

drwxr-xr-x root  wheel  .
drwxr-xr-x root  wheel  ..
drwxr-xr-x root  wheel  versions

Possible solutions

A. Add yourself to the group and grant write permission (safer):

1. Add yourself to the wheel group.

   1.1 macOS:

    sudo dseditgroup -o edit -a $(whoami) -t user wheel
   

   1.2 GNU/Linux:

    sudo usermod -a -G wheel $(whoami)
   

2. Allow wheel members writing permission on that folder:

    sudo chmod -R g+w /usr/local/n/
   

B. Change ownership directly to your user (quicker):

You would need to change where n stores node versions ownership:

sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/n && sudo chown -R $(whoami) /usr/local/n/

C. Change the folder where n saves node binaries, etc.

The n command downloads and installs to /usr/local by default, but you may override this location by defining N_PREFIX.

Source: https://github.com/tj/n#optional-environment-variables

1. Create a folder, ie: $HOME/.n

    mkdir $HOME/.n
   

2. Define the environment variable N_PREFIX adding to your shell initialisation file this line:

   2.1. bash (~/.bashrc) or zsh (~/.zshrc):

    export N_PREFIX=$HOME/.n
   

   2.2. fish (~/.config/fish/config.fish):

    set -x N_PREFIX $HOME/.n
   

3. Add the new binary path to your environment’s $PATH:

   3.1. bash/zsh:

    export PATH=$N_PREFIX/bin:$PATH
   

   3.2. fish:

    set -x PATH $N_PREFIX/bin:$PATH