Slim

Node Version Manager – NVM

Say goodbye to the "uninstall → reinstall" node loop! Let's use NVM to manage our node versions

NVM: The Ultimate Node.js Version Manager

Introduction

Hey developers! Managing different Node.js versions across projects can be challenging. Instead of constantly uninstalling and reinstalling Node.js, let me introduce you to NVM — the perfect solution for version management!

What is NVM?

Node Version Manager (NVM) is an essential tool for managing Node.js environments that offers:

  • 🚀 Instant switching between Node.js versions
  • ⚡ Side-by-side installation of multiple versions
  • 🔄 Automatic npm version synchronization per project
  • 🛠️ Project-specific version management

Say goodbye to the "uninstall → reinstall" loop!

Windows Installation Guide

Pre-Installation Steps

  1. Remove Existing Node.js
    • Uninstall current Node.js installation
    • Delete remaining directories (e.g., C:\Program Files odejs)
    • ⚠️ Important: Remove all Node.js installations as NVM's symbolic links cannot coexist with them

Installation Process

  1. Download NVM

  2. Installation Configuration

    • Choose custom installation path (recommended: D: vm)
    • Set Node.js symlink location (e.g., D: vm4w)
    • 🚫 Avoid system directories like Program Files

  3. Verify Installation

    bash 复制代码 
    nvm version

    A version number indicates successful installation.

Essential Commands

Command Description Example
nvm list available Display installable versions nvm list available
nvm install <version> Install specific version nvm install 16.14.2
nvm use <version> Switch to version nvm use 18.12.1
nvm ls List installed versions nvm ls

Pro Tips

Project-Specific Version Management

Create a .nvmrc file in your project root:

bash 复制代码 
# .nvmrc
14.19.0

Then simply run nvm use in the project directory.

Speed Up Downloads

Configure mirrors for faster installation:

bash 复制代码 
nvm node_mirror https://npmmirror.com/mirrors/node/
nvm npm_mirror https://npmmirror.com/mirrors/npm/

Version Switching Example

bash 复制代码 
# Install LTS version
nvm install 20.11.1

# Activate version
nvm use 20.11.1

# Verify environment
node -v  # Output: v20.11.1
npm -v   # Auto-matched npm version

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions:

  1. Version Switch Fails

    • Solution: Run terminal as Administrator

  2. Command Not Recognized

    • Solution: Verify NVM path in system environment variables

Why Choose NVM?

  • ⏱️ Time Efficiency: Switch environments in seconds
  • 🧩 Project Isolation: Maintain clean environments per project
  • 🔄 Team Synchronization: Ensure version consistency across team
  • 🧪 Testing Flexibility: Easily test across Node.js versions