A Beginner's Guide to Installing Node.js

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Installing Node.js

Node.js is a JavaScript runtime for running code outside the browser. I use nvm, the Node Version Manager, to install and switch between Node versions.

Install nvm

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.7/install.sh | bash

Restart your terminal or reload your shell config:

source ~/.bashrc

Install a Node Version

nvm install --lts

This installs the latest LTS release. You can also install a specific version:

nvm install 18
nvm install 20

Switch Between Versions

nvm use 20

Set a default:

nvm alias default 20

Verify

node --version
npm --version

Global Packages (Optional)

npm install -g nodemon

That's it. Node.js and npm are ready.