Revert "windows: Add preliminary WSL support for npm and npx"

[craigloewen-msft]

This reverts commit 3471d52.

What / Why

From my understanding, this change enables npm to detect that it is running inside of WSL, and instead of running the Linux version of npm, it will run the Windows installed version of npm. Would you be able to revert this change?

The reasoning behind this is that this could cause performance and compatibility issues for npm. Users in WSL would be expecting to use the Linux version of npm, and instead routing the command to target the Windows version of npm could cause unexpected problems.

I'm happy to dive into more detail on the reasons why, and thank you for thinking about WSL when you made this change! :)

[craigloewen-msft]

Tagging @infinnie so this is visible to you as you're the author of the original commit!

[infinnie]

Thanks but no, it did not prevent NPM for Linux from being run.

I had wished that it could fall back to the Windows command prompt when the Linux executable is not found. When the corresponding Linux version exists, however, it would be in a position within $path before the Windows one and get executed instead.

This, if implemented, would prevent NPM for Windows from running into an error when executed inside WSL.

[darcyclarke]

@craigloewen-msft @infinnie I've added this PR to the agenda of our Open RFC call happening later today; I encourage you both to join if you'd like to discuss the ideal solution moving forward: npm/rfcs#70

[craigloewen-msft]

Thanks! I'll join the call.

[craigloewen-msft]

For more context, if I run these commands using the Linux binaries targeting a project in my Linux file system in WSL, it succeeds:

However, if I use the Windows version of npm to target the same project in my Linux file system, I receive an error since CMD is unable to access these Linux files.

Thanks for your help!

[infinnie]

For more context, if I run these commands using the Linux binaries targeting a project in my Linux file system in WSL, it succeeds:

However, if I use the Windows version of npm to target the same project in my Linux file system, I receive an error since CMD is unable to access these Linux files.

Thanks for your help!

Hello.

It was not meant to replace the Linux version. Just in case the Linux one is not installed and Windows files are what need to be handled.