@jchip/nvm/README.md

nvm: a universal node.js version manager for Windows (no admin) and Unix

# @jchip/nvm

A universal node.js version manager for Windows (no admin) and Unix.

- Install is simple with a PowerShell script on Windows, or a bash script on Unix.

- **No admin required on Windows to install or use.**

- A linked system wide version that can be changed any time.

- Change to any version independently in a terminal any time.

## Table Of Contents

- [@jchip/nvm](#jchipnvm)
  - [Table Of Contents](#table-of-contents)
  - [Installing Windows nvm using PowerShell](#installing-windows-nvm-using-powershell)
    - [Installing from github.com](#installing-from-githubcom)
    - [Installing from unpkg.com](#installing-from-unpkgcom)
    - [Installing from jsdelivr.net](#installing-from-jsdelivrnet)
    - [Windows 7 Updates](#windows-7-updates)
    - [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)
      - [Running scripts disabled](#running-scripts-disabled)
      - [No PowerShell - Manual Install](#no-powershell---manual-install)
  - [Installing Unix nvm](#installing-unix-nvm)
    - [Installing from github.com](#installing-from-githubcom-1)
    - [Installing from unpkg.com](#installing-from-unpkgcom-1)
    - [Installing from jsdelivr.net](#installing-from-jsdelivrnet-1)
  - [Usage](#usage)
    - [Environments](#environments)
  - [License](#license)

## Installing Windows nvm using PowerShell

**_You don't need admin rights to install or use_**, only the permission to execute PowerShell scripts.

Tested on Windows 10, 8.1, and 7. Windows 7 requires PowerShell updates, see [update instructions](#windows-7-updates).

To install, start a Windows PowerShell and copy and paste one of the scripts below into the shell terminal and press enter.

- This will install nvm and current LTS Node.js (v12.13.0) to directory `nvm` under your home specified by `$Env:USERPROFILE`.

- If you want to install this under another directory, then set it with the param `-nvmhome`.

- If you don't set it, then `$Env:NVM_HOME` will be checked, and if non-existent, then a Directory Browser dialog will be opened for you to create and choose a directory.

[Video Demo of upgrading Windows 7 to PowerShell 5.1 and then installing this](https://youtu.be/BFYcXLS5R_4)

You can retrieve the install script from multiple sources. Listed below are three options for you to choose from in case one of them is down.

### Installing from github.com

Retrieve install script from [github.com](https://www.github.com/jchip/nvm) directly:

```powershell
cd $Env:USERPROFILE;
Invoke-WebRequest https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jchip/nvm/v1.7.0/install.ps1 -OutFile install.ps1;
.\install.ps1 -nvmhome $Env:USERPROFILE\nvm;
del install.ps1
```

### Installing from unpkg.com

Retrieve install script from [unpkg.com](https://unpkg.com):

```powershell
cd $Env:USERPROFILE;
Invoke-WebRequest https://unpkg.com/@jchip/nvm@1.7.0/install.ps1 -OutFile install.ps1;
.\install.ps1 -nvmhome $Env:USERPROFILE\nvm;
del install.ps1
```

### Installing from jsdelivr.net

Retrieve install script from [jsdelivr.net](https://www.jsdelivr.com/):

```powershell
cd $Env:USERPROFILE;
Invoke-WebRequest https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@jchip/nvm@1.7.0/install.ps1 -OutFile install.ps1;
.\install.ps1 -nvmhome $Env:USERPROFILE\nvm;
del install.ps1
```

### Windows 7 Updates

PowerShell version 4+ is required.

For Windows 7, you can update it to version 5.1 with the following instructions:

1. Go to <https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=54616>
2. Click Red Download button
3. Download `Win7AndW2K8R2-KB3191566-x64.zip` or `Win7-KB3191566-x86.zip` for 32-bit
4. Unzip the file
5. Run the package `Win7AndW2K8R2-KB3191566-x64.msu` or `Win7-KB3191566-x86.msu` for 32-bit

After it's completed and rebooted, launch PowerShell and type `$PSVersionTable` to check.

> PSVersion should be something like `5.1.#####.####`

[Video Demo of upgrading Windows 7 to PowerShell 5.1 and then installing this](https://youtu.be/BFYcXLS5R_4)

### Troubleshooting

#### Running scripts disabled

If you get the error:

> install.ps1 cannot be loaded because running scripts is disabled on this system.

Then you need to set execution policy for PowerShell to `RemoteSigned` with the command:

```powershell
Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned
```

See this [StackOverflow question](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4037939/powershell-says-execution-of-scripts-is-disabled-on-this-system) for details.

You need to keep this policy if you want to use `nvm` in PowerShell to switch node.js versions.

#### No PowerShell - Manual Install

If for some reason you absolutely can't have PowerShell or permission to install from it, then you can try to manually install following these steps:

1. Download the package zip file from https://github.com/jchip/nvm/archive/v1.7.0/.zip
   1. Extract this file to your home directory. You will get a new directory `nvm-1.7.0`.
   2. Rename it to `nvm`, for example: `C:\Users\<username>\nvm`
2. Download the zipfile https://nodejs.org/dist/v20.12.1/node-v20.12.1-win-x64.zip
   1. Extract this file to `C:\Users\<username>\nvm`. You will get a new directory `node-v20.12.1-win-x64`
   2. Move `node.exe` from that directory into `C:\Users\<username>\nvm`
   3. (optional) You can delete the directory after if you want.
3. Open `RegEdit.exe`, in `HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Environment`
   1. Add the following entries
      1. `NVM_HOME` -> `C:\Users\<username>\nvm`
      2. `NVM_LINK` -> `C:\Users\<username>\nvm\nodejs\bin`
   2. Append the following to the entry `Path`
      1. `;C:\Users\<username>\nvm\bin;C:\users\<username>\nvm\nodejs\bin`
4. Open Command Prompt, and run `nvm install lts`, note the version installed, and then `nvm link <version>`.

**_Make sure to replace `<username>` above with your actual user name_**.

## Installing Unix nvm

Because this is implemented in node.js, it happens to work on Unix also. It just need a different install script using bash.

To retrieve and run the install script, provided below are three options for you to choose from in case one of them is down.

Please pick one and then copy and paste it into a bash terminal to run.

### Installing from github.com

Retrieve the install script from [github.com](https://www.github.com/jchip/nvm):

Using cURL and the install script:

```bash
NVM_HOME=~/nvm curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jchip/nvm/v1.7.0/install.sh | bash
```

or wget:

```bash
NVM_HOME=~/nvm wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jchip/nvm/v1.7.0/install.sh | bash
```

### Installing from unpkg.com

Retrieve the install script from [unpkg.com](https://unpkg.com):

Using cURL and the install script:

```bash
NVM_HOME=~/nvm curl -o- https://unpkg.com/@jchip/nvm@1.7.0/install.sh | bash
```

or wget:

```bash
NVM_HOME=~/nvm wget -qO- https://unpkg.com/@jchip/nvm@1.7.0/install.sh | bash
```

### Installing from jsdelivr.net

Retrieve the install script from [jsdelivr.net](https://www.jsdelivr.com/):

Using cURL and the install script:

```bash
NVM_HOME=~/nvm curl -o- https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@jchip/nvm@1.7.0/install.sh | bash
```

or wget:

```bash
NVM_HOME=~/nvm wget -qO- https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@jchip/nvm@1.7.0/install.sh | bash
```

## Usage

```
Usage: nvm <command> [options]

Commands:
  nvm install <version>      install the given version of Node.js
  nvm uninstall <version>    uninstall the given version of Node.js
  nvm use <version>          use the given version of Node.js in current shell
  nvm stop                   undo effects of nvm in current shell
                                                                [aliases: unuse]
  nvm link <version>         permanently link the version of Node.js as default
  nvm unlink                 permanently unlink the default version
  nvm ls                     list all the installed Node.js versions
  nvm ls-remote              list remote versions available for install
  nvm cleanup                remove stale local caches
  nvm postinstall [version]
       Invoke custom post install script for the given version
  nvm init-env
       (windows) Generate cmd file to initialize env for nvm
  nvm undo-env               (windows) Generate cmd file to undo env for nvm

Options:
  --proxy, -p                   Set network proxy URL                   [string]
  --verifyssl, --ssl, --no-ssl  Turn on/off verify SSL certificate
                                                       [boolean] [default: true]
  --latest                      Match latest version to uninstall
  --version, -V, -v             Show version number
  --help, -?, -h                Show help. Add a command to show its help
                                                                        [string]

Error: No command given

envs:

  NVM_PROXY - set proxy URL
  NVM_VERIFY_SSL - (true/false) turn on/off verify SSL certs

Examples:

    nvm install lts
    nvm install latest
    nvm use 20
    nvm uninstall 22.3

doc: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@jchip/nvm

```

### Environments

These env flags can be set:

| name             | values         | description                                 |
| ---------------- | -------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| `NVM_PROXY`      | string         | An URL to a network proxy                   |
| `NVM_VERIFY_SSL` | `true`/`false` | turn on/off node.js verify SSL certificates |

## License

[MIT](http://www.opensource.org/licenses/MIT)