fix: dynamically locate command path in argv for flags() offset

lib/base-cmd.js

@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ class BaseCommand {
     this.workspacePaths = [...ws.values()]
   }
 
-  flags (depth = 1) {
+  flags (commandPath = []) {
     const commandDefinitions = this.constructor.definitions || []
 
     // Build types, shorthands, and defaults from definitions
@@ -315,9 +315,9 @@ class BaseCommand {
     const argv = this.config.argv
     if (argv && argv.length > 0) {
       // config.argv contains the full command line including node, npm, and command names
-      // Format: ['node', 'npm', 'command', 'subcommand', 'positional', '--flags']
-      // depth tells us how many command names to skip (1 for top-level, 2 for subcommand, etc.)
-      const offset = 2 + depth // Skip 'node', 'npm', and all command/subcommand names
+      // Global flags before the command name shift command positions, so we find
+      // the actual command path in argv rather than assuming a fixed offset.
+      const offset = this.#findCommandOffset(argv, commandPath)
       parsed = nopt(types, cmdShorthands, argv, offset)
       remains = parsed.argv.remain
       delete parsed.argv
@@ -363,6 +363,31 @@ class BaseCommand {
     return [{ ...defaults, ...filtered }, remains]
   }
 
+  // Find the offset into argv where command arguments begin (past command/subcommand names).
+  // Global flags before the command name (e.g., npm --registry url trust list) shift command
+  // positions, so we search for the contiguous commandPath sequence rather than using a fixed offset.
+  #findCommandOffset (argv, commandPath) {
+    if (commandPath.length === 0) {
+      // No command path provided, skip 'node', 'npm', and one command name (legacy default)
+      return 3
+    }
+    // Search for the full contiguous commandPath sequence starting from index 2 (past 'node', 'npm')
+    for (let i = 2; i <= argv.length - commandPath.length; i++) {
+      let match = true
+      for (let j = 0; j < commandPath.length; j++) {
+        if (argv[i + j] !== commandPath[j]) {
+          match = false
+          break
+        }
+      }
+      if (match) {
+        return i + commandPath.length
+      }
+    }
+    // Fallback: skip 'node', 'npm', and assume command names start at position 2
+    return 2 + commandPath.length
+  }
+
   // Validate flags and throw errors for unknown flags or unexpected positionals
   #validateFlags (parsed, commandDefinitions, remains) {
     // Build a set of all valid flag names (global + command-specific + shorthands)

lib/npm.js

@@ -284,8 +284,8 @@ class Npm {
     // Execute command with or without definitions
     if (Command.definitions) {
       // config.argv contains the full argv with flags (set by Config in production, by MockNpm in tests)
-      // Pass depth so flags() knows how many command names to skip
-      const [flags, positionalArgs] = commandInstance.flags(commandPath.length)
+      // Pass commandPath so flags() can locate the command names in argv dynamically
+      const [flags, positionalArgs] = commandInstance.flags(commandPath)
       return time.start(`command:${commandName}`, () =>
         execWorkspaces
           ? commandInstance.execWorkspaces(positionalArgs, flags)

test/lib/base-cmd.js

@@ -677,3 +677,100 @@ t.test('flags() does not throw when positionals is null (unlimited)', async t =>
   t.same(remains, ['pkg1', 'extra1', 'extra2'], 'all positionals are in remains')
   t.equal(flags.id, null, 'id flag uses default')
 })
+
+t.test('flags() correctly skips global flags before command name', async t => {
+  const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t)
+
+  class TestCommand extends BaseCommand {
+    static name = 'test-command'
+    static description = 'Test command'
+    static params = ['mountain']
+
+    static definitions = [
+      new Definition('mountain', {
+        type: String,
+        default: 'everest',
+        description: 'Your favorite mountain',
+        usage: '--mountain=<mountain>',
+      }),
+    ]
+
+    async exec () {
+      return this.flags(['test-command'])
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Global flags (--registry) appear before the command name in argv
+  npm.config.argv = ['node', 'npm', '--registry', 'http://example.com', 'test-command', '--mountain=denali']
+
+  const command = new TestCommand(npm)
+  const [flags, remains] = await command.exec()
+
+  t.equal(flags.mountain, 'denali', 'parses command flag correctly despite global flags before command')
+  t.same(remains, [], 'no unexpected positional args')
+})
+
+t.test('flags() correctly skips global flags before subcommand names', async t => {
+  const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t)
+
+  class TestSubCommand extends BaseCommand {
+    static name = 'sub'
+    static description = 'Test subcommand'
+    static params = ['mountain']
+
+    static definitions = [
+      new Definition('mountain', {
+        type: String,
+        default: 'everest',
+        description: 'Your favorite mountain',
+        usage: '--mountain=<mountain>',
+      }),
+    ]
+
+    async exec () {
+      return this.flags(['parent', 'sub'])
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Global flags push command names to higher positions
+  npm.config.argv = ['node', 'npm', '--registry', 'http://example.com', 'parent', 'sub', '--mountain=rainier', 'positional-arg']
+
+  const command = new TestSubCommand(npm)
+  const [flags, remains] = await command.exec()
+
+  t.equal(flags.mountain, 'rainier', 'parses subcommand flag correctly despite global flags')
+  t.same(remains, ['positional-arg'], 'positional arg is preserved')
+})
+
+t.test('flags() handles command name appearing as a flag value', async t => {
+  const { npm } = await loadMockNpm(t)
+
+  class TestCommand extends BaseCommand {
+    static name = 'trust'
+    static description = 'Test command'
+    static params = ['mountain']
+
+    static definitions = [
+      new Definition('mountain', {
+        type: String,
+        default: 'everest',
+        description: 'Your favorite mountain',
+        usage: '--mountain=<mountain>',
+      }),
+    ]
+
+    async exec () {
+      return this.flags(['trust', 'list'])
+    }
+  }
+
+  // 'trust' appears as both a flag value and a command name
+  // The contiguous sequence ['trust', 'list'] only matches at position 5
+  npm.config.argv = ['node', 'npm', '--scope', 'trust', 'trust', 'list', '--mountain=k2']
+
+  const command = new TestCommand(npm)
+  const [flags, remains] = await command.exec()
+
+  t.equal(flags.mountain, 'k2', 'finds the correct contiguous command path match')
+  t.same(remains, [], 'no unexpected positional args')
+})