How can I prevent npm from temporarily changing my Windows Terminal title?

Below is a summary of the situation and some potential (if not ideal) workarounds.

What’s Happening

npm’s CLI code sends an ANSI escape sequence that temporarily sets the terminal title to “npm.” This is built into npm itself, and no flag or configuration option exists to disable this behavior while leaving other title-changing features of Windows Terminal active.

Why Usual Workarounds Don’t Work

• Using Shell Settings or Redirection:
  Even when you redirect stdout/stderr, the escape sequence is still sent (or processed by the terminal) early during npm’s execution so that the title is changed.

• Windows Terminal Setting:
  There is an option to disable title changes globally, but that is not acceptable in your case since you want to allow other programs to change the title.

Possible Workarounds

Since npm does not offer a built-in way to disable its title changing, here are some workarounds:

1. Reset the Title After Running npm:
   You could create a shell wrapper that runs npm and then immediately resets the title back to your desired value. For example, in PowerShell you might do something like this:

   POWERSHELLCopied
   function Invoke-Npm {
       npm @args
       # Reset your preferred custom title
       $host.UI.RawUI.WindowTitle = "PowerShell (v7)"
   }
   
   # Now use Invoke-Npm instead of npm directly:
   Invoke-Npm --version

   This isn’t perfect because the title still changes momentarily, but it does restore your custom title quickly.

2. Patch or Override Part of npm’s Code (Not Recommended):
   As a last resort, if you’re comfortable maintaining a local fork, you could search npm’s source for the code that sends the escape sequence (often embedded in its logging or UI routines) and remove or alter that behavior. Note that this means you’ll be deviating from the released version of npm, which might complicate upgrades and support.

Conclusion

Currently there is no npm flag or configuration setting that specifically disables its title-changing behavior without affecting other aspects of terminal title updates. The most straightforward – though imperfect – solution is to wrap npm calls in a script or shell function that resets the title after the command runs.

If this behavior causes a significant distraction, consider filing an issue in the npm repository or looking for ongoing discussions regarding an option to disable title changes.