NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS vs strict-ssl=false for corporate proxy certificate errors

When encountering SSL certificate validation failures while connecting to a private npm registry through a corporate intercepting proxy, two primary configuration paths exist to restore connectivity.

One approach involves setting strict-ssl=false in the .npmrc file to bypass certificate validation entirely. An alternative approach is to maintain strict validation but provide the proxy's root certificate via the NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS environment variable, allowing Node.js to trust the specific intercepting authority.

The primary constraint is balancing deployment speed against security posture in a production CI/CD pipeline where man-in-the-middle risks must be mitigated.

• Which method is preferred for maintaining a secure chain of trust without disabling global SSL verification?
• Does NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS fully resolve validation issues for all npm registry interactions, or are there specific registry configurations where strict-ssl=false remains the only viable bypass?