NVM – Install and Manage Multiple Node.js Versions in Linux

ByContributor

Node Version Manager (NVM in short) is a simple bash script to manage multiple active node.js versions on your Linux system. It allows you to install multiple node.js versions, and view all versions available for installation and all installed versions on your system.

Nvm also supports running of a specific node.js version and it can show the path to the executable to where it was installed, and much more.

[ You might also like: 18 Best NodeJS Frameworks for Developers ]

In this article, we will explain how to install Node Version Manager (NVM) to manage multiple active node.js versions on your Linux distribution.

Installing NVM (Node Version Manager) in Linux

To install or update nvm on your Linux distribution, you can download the auto-install script using curl or wget command line tools as shown.

# curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.3/install.sh | bash
OR
# wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.3/install.sh | bash

The above auto-install script clones the nvm repository to ~/.nvm in your home directory and add the required source commands to your shell startup scripts i.e ~/.bash_profile, ~/.zshrc, ~/.profile, or ~/.bashrc, depending on the shell program you are using as shown in the following output.

Install NVM in Linux
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.3/install.sh | bash % Total % Received % Xferd Average Speed Time Time Time Current Dload Upload Total Spent Left Speed
100 15916 100 15916 0 0 34227 0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:-- 34301
=> Downloading nvm from git to '/root/.nvm'
=> Cloning into '/root/.nvm'...
remote: Enumerating objects: 359, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (359/359), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (305/305), done.
remote: Total 359 (delta 40), reused 168 (delta 28), pack-reused 0
Receiving objects: 100% (359/359), 219.46 KiB | 6.86 MiB/s, done.
Resolving deltas: 100% (40/40), done.
* (HEAD detached at FETCH_HEAD) master
=> Compressing and cleaning up git repository => Appending nvm source string to /root/.bashrc
=> Appending bash_completion source string to /root/.bashrc
=> You currently have modules installed globally with `npm`. These will no
=> longer be linked to the active version of Node when you install a new node
=> with `nvm`; and they may (depending on how you construct your `$PATH`)
=> override the binaries of modules installed with `nvm`:
...

Once the installation is complete, close your current terminal window and open a new one Or, simply source your shell profile file to load nvm. For example, if you are using bash, run the following command:

$ source ~/.bashrc
OR
$ source ~/.profile

Next, verify if the nvm has been installed on your system using the following command.

# command -v nvm nvm

It will show output as ‘nvm‘ if the installation was successful.

Install Multiple Node.js Versions Using NVM

Now it is time to learn how to use Node Version Manager in Linux. To download, compile, and install the latest release of node, run the following command:

# nvm install node

Note that in the above command, “node” is an alias for the latest version.

Install Latest Node Version in Linux
Downloading and installing node v20.0.0...
Downloading https://nodejs.org/dist/v20.0.0/node-v20.0.0-linux-x64.tar.xz...
########################################################################## 100.0%
Computing checksum with sha256sum
Checksums matched!
Now using node v20.0.0 (npm v9.6.4)
Creating default alias: default -> node (-> v20.0.0)

To install a specific “node” version, first list the available node versions and then install the version as shown.

# nvm ls-remote
# nvm install 19.0.0
Install Specific Node Version in Linux
Downloading and installing node v19.0.0...
Downloading https://nodejs.org/dist/v19.0.0/node-v19.0.0-linux-x64.tar.xz...
########################################################################## 100.0%
Computing checksum with sha256sum
Checksums matched!
Now using node v19.0.0 (npm v8.19.2)

Once you have installed a Node.js version using nvm, the system should now point to the Node.js and npm versions under nvm. You can check the location of the node and npm binary/command being used by running the which command as follows:

# which node
/root/.nvm/versions/node/v20.0.0/bin/node # which npm
/root/.nvm/versions/node/v20.0.0/bin/npm # node -v
v20.0.0 # npm -v
9.6.4

Listing Installed Node.js Versions

You can check all installed versions with the following command:

# nvm ls
List Installed Node Versions in Linux
-> v19.0.0 v20.0.0 system
default -> node (-> v20.0.0)
iojs -> N/A (default)
unstable -> N/A (default)
node -> stable (-> v20.0.0) (default)
stable -> 20.0 (-> v20.0.0) (default)
lts/* -> lts/hydrogen (-> N/A)
lts/argon -> v4.9.1 (-> N/A)
lts/boron -> v6.17.1 (-> N/A)
lts/carbon -> v8.17.0 (-> N/A)
lts/dubnium -> v10.24.1 (-> N/A)
lts/erbium -> v12.22.12 (-> N/A)
lts/fermium -> v14.21.3 (-> N/A)
lts/gallium -> v16.20.0 (-> N/A)
lts/hydrogen -> v18.16.0 (-> N/A)

Choose Node Version for a Project

This is where nvm becomes interesting. Now you can use nvm to choose the version of node.js to use for each project you are working on, based on requirements. Let’s see how to do this, as explained below.

Open multiple terminals and move into the project directories. For this guide, we have two projects under ~/projects/app-server and ~/projects/test-ui that require node version 19.0.0 and 20.0.0 deceptively.

------------ Project 1 ------------ $ cd ~/projects/api-server
$ nvm use 19.0.0
$ node -v ------------ Project 2 ------------
$ cd ~/projects/test-ui
$ nvm use 20.0.0
$ node -v
Important: Note that when switching between different versions of Node.js, any global npm packages that you have installed will not work. This is because the multiple Node.js version installations are completely independent.

For example, if you have a global package installed when version 19.0.0 is active, when you switch to version 20.0.0, you need to reinstall the global package under the new version.

Importantly, you can view the path to the executable to where a specific node version was installed as follows:

# nvm which 20.0.0
# nvm which 19.0.0
# nvm which system #check system-installed version of a node using “system” alias

Set Default Node.js Version in Linux

Furthermore, to manually set a default node version to be used in any new shell, use the alias “default” as shown.

# nvm alias default 20.0.0
# nvm alias default system
# nvm alias default 19.0.0
Note: You can create a .nvmrc initialization file in your project root directory (or any parent directory) and add a node version number or any other flags or usage options that nvm understands, in it. Then use some of the commands we have just looked at above to operate with the specified version in the file.

Uninstalling Node.js Version in Linux

To uninstall or remove a version of Node.js, issue the following command (do not forget to replace 19.0.0 with the version number):

# nvm uninstall 19.0.0

Uninstalling NVM in Linux

To remove nvm manually from your system, run the following commands:

# rm -rf "$NVM_DIR"
OR
# rm -rf ~/.nvm

Next, edit ~/.bashrc (or the applicable shell profile config file, as listed above) and remove the following config lines:

export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"
[ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && . "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" # This loads nvm
[[ -r $NVM_DIR/bash_completion ]] && . $NVM_DIR/bash_completion

For more information, see nvm --help or go to the Node Version Manager Github repository: https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm.

That’s all! Node Version Manager is a simple bash script to manage multiple active node.js versions on your Linux system. Use the feedback form below to ask questions or share your comments with us.

Similar Posts

How to Use the Linux Zip Command to Compress and Uncompress Files Quickly

How to Use the Linux Zip Command to Compress and Uncompress Files Quickly
by George Whittaker

In the world of Unix-based operating systems like Linux, file packaging and compression utilities play a pivotal role. One such utility is the zip command, an effective tool for compressing files to save disk space and facilitate faster file transfers​. This article provides an in-depth guide to using the Linux zip command, featuring common use cases and practical examples.

Understanding the Syntax

The basic syntax for the Linux zip command is as follows:

zip [options] zipfile files_list

In this syntax:

  • options represent any command-line options you want to use.
  • zipfile is the name of the zip file you want to create.
  • files_list represents the files you wish to compress.

For instance, if you want to compress a file named filename.txt into a zip file named myfile.zip, you’d use the command:

$zip myfile.zip filename.txt​`oaicite:{"index":1,"metadata":{"title":"","url":"https://www.javatpoint.com/linux-zip-command","text":"Syntax:nn zip [options] zipfile files_list nn### Syntax to create any zip file:nn $zip myfile.zip filename.txt","pub_date":null}}`​.

Common Use Cases

The zip command is versatile and can be used in several different scenarios. Here are a few common use cases:

  1. Creating a zip archive: To compress multiple files into a single zip file, simply list the files you want to compress after the name of the zip file. For example:

zip files.zip file1.txt file2.txt file3.txt

This command compresses the three .txt files into a single .zip file named files.zip​.

  1. Deleting a file from a zip archive: To remove a file from an existing zip archive, use the -d command-line option, followed by the name of the file you want to remove. For instance, to remove file3.txt from files.zip, you’d use:

    zip -d files.zip file3.txt

    The tool will notify you of the deletion operation​​.

  2. Adding new files to an existing zip archive: To add new files to an existing zip archive, use the -u command-line option, followed by the names of the files you want to add. For example:

    zip -u files.zip file3.txt file4.txt

    This command adds file3.txt and file4.txt to the files.zip archive​​.

Exploring Useful Command Line Options

The zip command comes with a variety of command-line options that extend its functionality:

Go to Full Article

3 Best Universal Package Managers for Linux in 2023

3 Best Universal Package Managers for Linux in 2023

The post Universal Package Managers for Linux: Snap, Flatpak, and AppImage first appeared on Tecmint: Linux Howtos, Tutorials & Guides .

Package management or software installation on Linux systems can be very puzzling especially for newbies (new Linux users), as different Linux distributions use different traditional

The post Universal Package Managers for Linux: Snap, Flatpak, and AppImage first appeared on Tecmint: Linux Howtos, Tutorials & Guides.

A Comprehensive Guide to the wc Command in Linux

A Comprehensive Guide to the wc Command in Linux
by George Whittaker

One of the most valuable utilities offered by Unix and Linux-based systems is the wc command. This versatile command stands for “word count” and offers you a simple, yet powerful way to analyze text files. By comprehending the full scope of wc, you’ll increase your proficiency with command-line operations, making your interaction with Unix or Linux systems more productive and efficient.

Introducing the wc Command

At its core, wc performs a simple task: it counts. However, the objects of its attention include not only words, but also characters, lines, and bytes in files. The wc command will return four values: newline counts, word counts, byte counts, and the maximum line length when executed with a file name.

The basic syntax of the wc command is: wc [options] [file].

Options and Usage

Let’s look at the different options you can use with wc and how they work. The options will modify the output of wc, providing you with more targeted information. These options are entered in the command line after wc and before the file name.

  1. -l: This option enables you to count the lines in a file. For example, wc -l file1 will return the number of lines in ‘file1’.
  2. -w: The -w option tells wc to count the words in a file, with wc -w file1 returning the number of words in ‘file1’.
  3. -c or -m: These options command wc to count the bytes or characters in a file respectively. The command wc -c file1 or wc -m file1 returns the number of bytes or characters in ‘file1’.
  4. -L: With the -L option, wc determines the length of the longest line in a file. To find the length of the longest line in ‘file1’, you would use wc -L file1.

It’s important to note that you can use multiple options at the same time. For example, wc -lw file1 will return both the number of lines and words in ‘file1’.

Reading from Standard Input

The wc command can also read from standard input (stdin), not just from a file. This is useful when you want to count the words, lines, or characters from a stream of text that is not saved in a file. You simply type wc, hit enter, and then start typing the text. Once you’re done, press Ctrl + D to stop and wc will return the counts.

Go to Full Article

How to Install Eclipse IDE in Debian, Ubuntu, and Linux Mint

How to Install Eclipse IDE in Debian, Ubuntu, and Linux Mint

The post How to Install Eclipse IDE in Ubuntu, Debian and Linux Mint first appeared on Tecmint: Linux Howtos, Tutorials & Guides .

Eclipse is a free integrated development environment IDE that is used by programmers around to write software mostly in Java but also in other major

The post How to Install Eclipse IDE in Ubuntu, Debian and Linux Mint first appeared on Tecmint: Linux Howtos, Tutorials & Guides.

5 Best Open Source Mathematical Equation Editors for Linux

5 Best Open Source Mathematical Equation Editors for Linux

The post 5 Best Mathematical Equation and Formula Writing Tools for Linux first appeared on Tecmint: Linux Howtos, Tutorials & Guides .

Are you looking for good software to write mathematical equations? If so, this article provides the top 5 equation editors that you can easily install

The post 5 Best Mathematical Equation and Formula Writing Tools for Linux first appeared on Tecmint: Linux Howtos, Tutorials & Guides.

PSSH - Run Commands on Multiple Remote Linux Systems

PSSH – Run Commands on Multiple Remote Linux Systems

The post Pssh – Execute Commands on Multiple Remote Linux Servers first appeared on Tecmint: Linux Howtos, Tutorials & Guides .

No doubt, that OpenSSH is one of the most widely used and powerful tools available for Linux, which allows you to connect securely to remote

The post Pssh – Execute Commands on Multiple Remote Linux Servers first appeared on Tecmint: Linux Howtos, Tutorials & Guides.