Installation is straightforward - you can use a simple bash script or brew (my preferred way). Although it is available for macOS and Linux only, Node.js version manager for Windows exists (ironically it is written in Go). Node Version Manager is a simple bash CLI that allows you to install multiple Node.js versions and switch between them using simple commands.

Although they allow you to manage versions too, in Node.js you should use… NVM (Node Version Manager) brew install nodeĬLI tools like that allow you to install / uninstall software in no time and never again be bothered by insufficient permissions. Both of these package managers allow you to install Node.js with ease. Windows users can find an alternative like Chocolatey. “Homebrew - the best friend of the macOS user” explains why I love this tool so much. I published “Fix privileges and never again use sudo with npm” with some solutions for this issue, but you better check “Resolving EACCES permissions errors when installing packages globally” on official documentation or follow this article. Another (worst) issue with this method is the fact that it requires admin permissions ( sudo) to install package globally.

It locks you to a particular version - it may not be a big issue on day one but it can be in the long run if you are willing to jump between projects that depend on different versions. Installation itself is very straight forward - next, next, next, done.ĭespite the fact it is the easiest way of installing it, it comes with many disadvantages. The easiest and most obvious way is to download a pre-built installer for your platform from the Node.js downloads page.

There is plenty of ways to install it on your operating system and I am about to show you the most popular methods and highlight pros and cons of each of them. No matter if you are working on backend or are in the frontend camp, Node.js is getting more popular day by day and you may need to install it at some point.

Brew nodejs