title: Why can't I install a specific version of npm and how can I do it?
body: <p>My Linux distribution is:</p>
  <pre class="lang-none prettyprint-override"><code>uname -a
  
  Linux 16.04.2-Ubuntu
  </code></pre>
  <p>Also, my <code>npm</code> version was:</p>
  <pre class="lang-none prettyprint-override"><code>npm -v
  
  3.5.2
  </code></pre>
  <p>I wanted to install version <strong>3.10.10</strong> of <strong>npm</strong> via this command:</p>
  <pre class="lang-none prettyprint-override"><code>sudo npm cache clean -f
  sudo npm install npm@3.10.10
  </code></pre>
  <p>But I get these errors:</p>
  <pre class="lang-none prettyprint-override"><code>npm WARN enoent ENOENT: no such file or directory, open '/home/arvin/package.json'
  npm WARN myname No description
  npm WARN myname No repository field.
  npm WARN myname No README data
  npm WARN myname No license field.
  </code></pre>
  <p>And when using the same command for installed version <strong>6.12.2</strong> of Node.js:</p>
  <pre class="lang-none prettyprint-override"><code>sudo npm install nodejs@6.12.2
  </code></pre>
  <p>And I get these errors:</p>
  <pre class="lang-none prettyprint-override"><code>npm ERR! Linux 4.13.0-26-generic
  npm ERR! argv &quot;/usr/bin/nodejs&quot; &quot;/usr/bin/npm&quot; &quot;install&quot; &quot;nodejs@6.12.2&quot;
  npm ERR! node v4.2.6
  npm ERR! npm  v3.5.2
  npm ERR! No compatible version found: nodejs@6.12.2
  npm ERR! Valid install targets:
  npm ERR! 0.0.0
  npm ERR!
  npm ERR!
  npm ERR! If you need help, you may report this error at:
  npm ERR!     &lt;https://github.com/npm/npm/issues&gt;
  
  npm ERR! Please include the following file with any support request:
  npm ERR!     /home/arvin/npm-debug.log
  </code></pre>
  <p>Finally, I decided to completely remove `npm' and Node.js via these commands:</p>
  <pre class="lang-none prettyprint-override"><code>sudo apt-get purge --auto-remove nodejs
  sudo apt autoremove
  sudo rm -R ~/.npm
  sudo rm /usr/local/bin/npm, /usr/local/share/man/man1/node, /usr/local/lib/dtrace/node.d, ~/.node-gyp, /opt/local/bin/node, opt/local/include/node, /opt/local/lib/node_modules
  sudo npm uninstall npm
  </code></pre>
  <p>So, how can I install npm v3.10.10 and Node.js v6.12.2 in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_version_history#Ubuntu_16.04_LTS_.28Xenial_Xerus.29" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Ubuntu 16.04</a> (Xenial Xerus)?</p>