Installing Node.js

Before you can run a single line of server-side JavaScript you need Node.js on your machine. Installing Node also installs npm (the package manager) and npx (the package runner) automatically — they ship in the same bundle. This page surveys your options and the trade-offs; the OS-specific pages then go step by step.

What actually gets installed

A Node install is not one program but a small toolkit. Knowing what each piece is prevents confusion later:

Binary	What it is
`node`	The runtime itself — runs your JavaScript files
`npm`	The package manager — installs dependencies, runs scripts
`npx`	Runs a package bin without a global install (`npx create-next-app`)
`corepack`	Shim that manages `yarn`/`pnpm` versions (opt-in, ships with Node)

Which version should I install?

Pick the latest LTS (Long-Term Support) release — the even-numbered lines (18, 20, 22…). LTS versions are stable and supported for ~30 months, which is what you want for real projects. Use Current only to experiment with the newest features on a throwaway branch. Full breakdown in LTS vs Current Releases.

Three ways to install

Method	Best for	Trade-off
Official installer	Beginners, a single fixed version	Switching versions later is manual
Version manager (`nvm`/`fnm`/`volta`)	Anyone with more than one project	One extra setup step — worth it
OS package manager (`brew`/`winget`/`apt`)	Matching your system tooling	Distro versions often lag behind

Recommendation

For anything beyond a one-off, install via a **version manager** like `nvm`. Different projects often need different Node versions, and a manager makes switching painless — with no `sudo` and no system-file conflicts. See [Version Management with nvm](/nodejs/nvm).

Avoid sudo-installing global packages

If `npm install -g` ever demands `sudo`, that is a signal your Node lives in a system directory you should not be writing to. A version manager puts Node in your home directory, so global installs need no elevated permissions — and you avoid the classic `EACCES` permission errors.

Verify your installation

After installing, open a fresh terminal (so it picks up the new PATH) and check the versions:

Bash

node --version   # or: node -v
npm --version    # or: npm -v

v20.11.0
10.2.4

Troubleshooting "command not found"

Symptom	Likely cause & fix
`node: command not found`	Terminal has stale PATH — close and reopen it (or restart)
Old version after upgrade	A second Node is earlier on PATH — check `which -a node`
Works in one terminal, not another	Shell profile (`.zshrc` vs `.bashrc`) wasn't sourced
`EACCES` on global install	Node is in a root-owned dir — switch to a version manager

Bash

which node     # macOS/Linux: where is the node binary?
where node     # Windows: same question

Run your first command

The -e flag ("evaluate") runs a string of code directly — a quick way to confirm the runtime works without creating a file:

Bash

node -e "console.log('Node is working!')"

Node is working!

Pick your platform

Once installed, learn to manage versions with [nvm](/nodejs/nvm), then explore the interactive [Node.js REPL](/nodejs/node-repl).