npm-conf breaking change: Path must be a string. Received undefined

This is a Bug Report

Description

For bug reports:

• What went wrong?

npm-conf version 1.1.1 causes the following message on deployment:

  Type Error ---------------------------------------------
  Path must be a string. Received undefined
     For debugging logs, run again after setting the "SLS_DEBUG=*" environment variable.
  Stack Trace --------------------------------------------

  Get Support --------------------------------------------
     Docs:          docs.serverless.com
     Bugs:          github.com/serverless/serverless/issues
     Forums:        forum.serverless.com
     Chat:          gitter.im/serverless/serverless
  Your Environment Information -----------------------------
     OS:                     linux
     Node Version:           8.2.1
     Serverless Version:     1.18.0

• What did you expect should have happened?

Successful deploy.

Additional Data

• Serverless Framework Version you’re using: 1.18.0
• Operating System: Linux
• Stack Trace:

TypeError: Path must be a string. Received undefined
    at assertPath (path.js:28:11)
    at Object.resolve (path.js:1167:7)
    at Conf.loadUser (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/node_modules/npm-conf/lib/conf.js:159:23)
    at module.exports.opts (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/node_modules/npm-conf/index.js:36:7)
    at Object.<anonymous> (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/node_modules/get-proxy/index.js:2:36)
    at Module._compile (module.js:569:30)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:580:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:503:32)
    at tryModuleLoad (module.js:466:12)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:458:3)
    at Module.require (module.js:513:17)
    at require (internal/module.js:11:18)
    at Object.<anonymous> (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/node_modules/caw/index.js:3:18)
    at Module._compile (module.js:569:30)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:580:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:503:32)
    at tryModuleLoad (module.js:466:12)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:458:3)
    at Module.require (module.js:513:17)
    at require (internal/module.js:11:18)
    at Object.<anonymous> (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/node_modules/download/index.js:5:13)
    at Module._compile (module.js:569:30)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:580:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:503:32)
    at tryModuleLoad (module.js:466:12)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:458:3)
    at Module.require (module.js:513:17)
    at require (internal/module.js:11:18)
    at Object.<anonymous> (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/lib/plugins/install/install.js:6:18)
    at Module._compile (module.js:569:30)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:580:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:503:32)
    at tryModuleLoad (module.js:466:12)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:458:3)
    at Module.require (module.js:513:17)
    at require (internal/module.js:11:18)
    at plugins.forEach (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/lib/classes/PluginManager.js:65:22)
    at Array.forEach (native)
    at PluginManager.loadPlugins (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/lib/classes/PluginManager.js:64:13)
    at PluginManager.loadCorePlugins (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/lib/classes/PluginManager.js:77:10)
    at PluginManager.loadAllPlugins (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/lib/classes/PluginManager.js:59:10)
    at service.load.then (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/lib/Serverless.js:64:28)
    at <anonymous>
From previous event:
    at runCallback (timers.js:781:20)
    at tryOnImmediate (timers.js:743:5)
    at processImmediate [as _immediateCallback] (timers.js:714:5)
From previous event:
    at __dirname (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/bin/serverless:25:46)
    at Object.<anonymous> (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/serverless/bin/serverless:43:4)
    at Module._compile (module.js:569:30)
    at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:580:10)
    at Module.load (module.js:503:32)
    at tryModuleLoad (module.js:466:12)
    at Function.Module._load (module.js:458:3)
    at Function.Module.runMain (module.js:605:10)
    at startup (bootstrap_node.js:158:16)
    at bootstrap_node.js:575:3

Downgrading npm-conf to 1.1.0 makes a successful deployment again.

[kevva]

I’ve published 1.1.2, could you try again?

[HyperBrain]

According to @dashmug 's comment (https://github.com/elastic-coders/serverless-webpack/issues/159#issuecomment-317630614) it did not appear with Serverless 1.17.