Installing Node.js and npm

npm comes bundled with Node.js. Install Node.js, get npm free.

Method 1: Direct Download (Easiest)

1. Go to nodejs.org
2. Download LTS version (recommended)
3. Run installer
4. Done!

Verify installation:

node --version
# v20.10.0

npm --version
# 10.2.3

Method 2: Using nvm (Recommended)

nvm (Node Version Manager) lets you install multiple Node.js versions.

Install nvm (Mac/Linux):

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.0/install.sh | bash

Install nvm (Windows):
Download nvm-windows from GitHub releases.

Using nvm:

# Install latest LTS
nvm install --lts

# Install specific version
nvm install 18.17.0

# List installed versions
nvm ls

# Switch version
nvm use 18.17.0

# Set default
nvm alias default 18.17.0

LTS vs Current

Version	Use Case
LTS (Long Term Support)	Production, stability
Current	Latest features, testing

Recommendation: Use LTS for real projects.

Verify Everything Works

# Check Node.js
node --version

# Check npm
npm --version

# Run a quick test
node -e "console.log('Node.js is working!')"

Common Issues

Permission errors on npm (Mac/Linux):

# Fix: Use nvm or change npm default directory
mkdir ~/.npm-global
npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'
# Add to .bashrc: export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH

Multiple versions conflict:

# Use nvm to manage versions
nvm use 18
# Now using Node.js v18

Key Takeaway

Use nvm to install Node.js - it makes version management painless. Download LTS for stability, Current for experimenting. Once installed, you're ready to build!