gistfile.txt

$ tree
.
├── .npmrc
├── foo
│  ├── .npmrc
│  ├── a
│  │  └── b
│  │     └── c
│  │        └── d
│  │           └── e
│  └── package.json
└── package.json

$ cat .npmrc
foo = bar

$ cat foo/.npmrc
workspace-root=..

$ cat package.json
{
  "name": "root",
  "version": "1.2.3",
  "workspaces": [
    "foo"
  ]
}

$ npm config ls
{
  'workspace-root': null,
  workspace: [],
  localPrefix: '/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot'
}
; "project" config from /Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/.npmrc

foo = "bar"

; "env" config from environment

userconfig = "/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/.npmrc"

; node bin location = /usr/local/bin/node
; cwd = /Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot
; HOME = /Users/isaacs
; Run `npm config ls -l` to show all defaults.

$ cd foo
/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/foo

$ npm config ls
{
  'workspace-root': '/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot',
  workspace: [ '/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/foo' ],
  localPrefix: '/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot'
}
npm WARN config This command does not support workspaces.
; "project" config from /Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/.npmrc

foo = "bar"

; "workspace" config from /Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/foo/.npmrc

workspace = ["/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/foo"]
workspace-root = "/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot"

; "env" config from environment

userconfig = "/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/.npmrc"

; node bin location = /usr/local/bin/node
; cwd = /Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/foo
; HOME = /Users/isaacs
; Run `npm config ls -l` to show all defaults.

$ cd a/b/c/d/e
/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/foo/a/b/c/d/e

$ npm config ls
{
  'workspace-root': '/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot',
  workspace: [ '/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/foo' ],
  localPrefix: '/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot'
}
npm WARN config This command does not support workspaces.
; "project" config from /Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/.npmrc

foo = "bar"

; "workspace" config from /Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/foo/.npmrc

workspace = ["/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/foo"]
workspace-root = "/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot"

; "env" config from environment

userconfig = "/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/.npmrc"

; node bin location = /usr/local/bin/node
; cwd = /Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/foo/a/b/c/d/e
; HOME = /Users/isaacs
; Run `npm config ls -l` to show all defaults.

$ npm config ls -w bar
{
  'workspace-root': '/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot',
  workspace: [ 'bar' ],
  localPrefix: '/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot'
}
npm WARN config This command does not support workspaces.
; "project" config from /Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/.npmrc

foo = "bar"

; "workspace" config from /Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/foo/.npmrc

; workspace = ["/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/foo"] ; overridden by cli
workspace-root = "/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot"

; "env" config from environment

userconfig = "/Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/.npmrc"

; "cli" config from command line options

workspace = ["bar"]

; node bin location = /usr/local/bin/node
; cwd = /Users/isaacs/dev/npm/cli/fixtures/wsroot/foo/a/b/c/d/e
; HOME = /Users/isaacs
; Run `npm config ls -l` to show all defaults.