Doesn't that apply to any it-issues you don't know how to solve?

no, most of the time when a README says:

> run command xyz

I run xyz and I'm on to the next step in an average of ten or fifteen minutes (because yeah, stuff still goes wrong some times).

But if the instruction is to invoke npm, there's always some crazy side quest involved. It doesn't get any better with time because next time around it's a totally different side quest. I can't even offer any criticism towards fixing it, it just sucks for unique new reason every time.