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Installing Node.js with NVM on Linux

NVM (Node Version Manager) is a small program that installs and manages Node.js for you. It's the recommended way to install Node.js because it avoids permission issues and lets you switch versions easily.

1. Install NVM

Open a terminal and paste in this command:

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.4/install.sh | bash

Note

If curl is not installed, use wget instead:

wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.4/install.sh | bash

You'll see a few lines of output as it installs. When it's done, you'll see something like:

=> Close and reopen your terminal to start using nvm or run the following to use it now:

Close your terminal completely and open a new one. This is important, NVM won't be available until you do.

Then verify it worked:

nvm --version

You should see a version number like 0.40.4. If you see command not found, see the troubleshooting section below.

2. Install Node.js

Now install the latest LTS (Long Term Support) version of Node.js. LTS versions are more stable and get security updates for longer.

nvm install --lts
nvm use --lts

Verify it worked:

node --version   # should print something like v22.x.x
npm --version    # should print something like 10.x.x

If you see version numbers, you're done.

Troubleshooting

  • nvm: command not found after opening a new terminal: the install script may not have updated your shell profile. Check that your ~/.bashrc (or ~/.zshrc if you use zsh) contains these lines:

    export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"
[ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && \. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"

    If they're missing, add them manually, save the file, then run source ~/.bashrc and try again.

  • Permissions errors: NVM installs into ~/.nvm in your home directory, so you should never need sudo. If you see permission errors, make sure you're not accidentally running the command as root.

  • Never use sudo with npm: when Node.js is installed via NVM, running sudo npm install -g can cause problems. You don't need sudo with NVM.