bash: npm: command not found?

I also come here for the same problem, The solution I found is to install npm and then restart the Visual Studio Code

in redhat base OS (tested in centos 7)

yum install nodejs npm -y

in debian base OS

apt-get install -y npm    

If you have already installed nodejs and still getting this error. npm: command not found..

run this

apt-get install -y npm