Installing Node.js and npm: Your Complete Setup Guide

Before you write a single line of Node.js code, you need a clean, professional development environment. This guide walks you through installing Node.js and npm the right way — using nvm (Node Version Manager) — on macOS, Linux, and Windows. You will also verify your setup, understand the difference between LTS and Current releases, and configure your editor for Node.js development.

This is Module 2 of the Node.js Full‑Stack Developer course. By the end you will have Node.js running on your machine and be ready to write your first program in Module 3.

Why Use nvm Instead of Downloading from nodejs.org?

Most tutorials tell you to download the installer from nodejs.org. That works, but it creates two problems:

1. Permission errors — The system-level install requires sudo for global npm packages, which causes frequent headaches.
2. Version lock — Real projects have specific Node.js version requirements. Without a version manager, switching between them is painful.

nvm (Node Version Manager) solves both. It installs Node.js into your home directory (no sudo needed) and lets you switch versions with a single command:

nvm use 20    # switch to Node 20
nvm use 18    # switch to Node 18

Every professional Node.js developer uses nvm (or its Windows equivalent, nvm-windows). Use it from day one.

Installing Node.js on macOS

Step 1: Install nvm

Open your terminal and run the official nvm install script:

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

This downloads and runs the installer, which adds nvm to your shell profile (~/.zshrc on macOS with Zsh, or ~/.bashrc for Bash).

Step 2: Reload Your Shell

source ~/.zshrc
# or if you use bash:
source ~/.bashrc

Verify nvm is available:

nvm --version
# Expected output: 0.39.7

Step 3: Install Node.js LTS

nvm install --lts

This installs the latest Long-Term Support release (Node 20.x as of 2026). After installation, nvm automatically switches to it.

Step 4: Verify the Installation

node --version
# v20.x.x

npm --version
# 10.x.x

Both commands should return version numbers. If you see command not found, run source ~/.zshrc again and retry.

Installing Node.js on Linux (Ubuntu / Debian)

The process is identical to macOS:

Step 1: Install build essentials

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y curl build-essential

Step 2: Install nvm

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

Step 3: Reload and verify

source ~/.bashrc
nvm --version

Step 4: Install Node.js LTS

nvm install --lts
node --version
npm --version

Installing Node.js on Windows

nvm does not support Windows natively. Instead, use nvm-windows — a separate, community-maintained tool that works the same way.

Step 1: Download nvm-windows

Go to the nvm-windows releases page and download nvm-setup.exe from the latest release.

Step 2: Run the installer

Run nvm-setup.exe and follow the prompts. Accept the default installation paths.

Important: If you have an existing Node.js installation, nvm-windows will offer to control it. Say yes.

Step 3: Open a new terminal as Administrator

Open PowerShell or Command Prompt as Administrator (right-click → "Run as administrator").

Step 4: Install Node.js LTS

nvm install lts
nvm use lts

Step 5: Verify

node --version
npm --version

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) — Recommended

If you are doing serious Node.js development on Windows, consider using WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux). It gives you a full Linux environment and lets you use the standard nvm install. Most professional Windows-based Node.js developers work inside WSL2.

LTS vs Current: Which Version Should You Install?

Node.js releases on a predictable schedule with two tracks:

Install LTS. For this course, use Node 20 LTS or the latest LTS at the time you read this.

# See all available LTS versions
nvm ls-remote --lts

# Install a specific version
nvm install 20.14.0

# List installed versions
nvm ls

# Switch version for this session
nvm use 20

# Set the default for all new terminals
nvm alias default 20

Understanding npm: Node Package Manager

When you installed Node.js via nvm, npm came bundled with it. npm has three roles:

1. Package installer — download and install libraries from the npm registry:

npm install express          # install in current project
npm install -g nodemon       # install globally

2. Script runner — run commands defined in package.json:

npm run dev
npm run build
npm test

3. Package publisher — publish your own packages to the npm registry (covered in a later module).

Useful npm Commands

npm init -y                  # create a package.json with defaults
npm install <package>        # install and add to dependencies
npm install -D <package>     # install as devDependency
npm uninstall <package>      # remove a package
npm update                   # update all packages
npm list                     # show installed packages
npm outdated                 # show packages with newer versions available
npm audit                    # check for known security vulnerabilities

Setting Up Your Editor: VS Code for Node.js

Visual Studio Code is the most popular editor for Node.js development. If you do not have it, download it from code.visualstudio.com.

Recommended Extensions

Install these from the VS Code Extensions panel (Ctrl+Shift+X):

Workspace Settings

Create a .vscode/settings.json file in your project root to enable format-on-save:

{
  "editor.formatOnSave": true,
  "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode",
  "editor.tabSize": 2,
  "[javascript]": {
    "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode"
  },
  "[typescript]": {
    "editor.defaultFormatter": "esbenp.prettier-vscode"
  }
}

Your First Smoke Test

Let us make sure everything works end to end. Create a new folder, initialise a project, and run a quick script.

mkdir node-test && cd node-test
npm init -y

Create a file called index.js:

const os = require('os')

console.log('Node.js version:', process.version)
console.log('Platform:', os.platform())
console.log('CPU cores:', os.cpus().length)
console.log('Free memory:', Math.round(os.freemem() / 1024 / 1024), 'MB')
console.log('\n✅ Node.js is working correctly!')

Run it:

node index.js

You should see output like:

Node.js version: v20.14.0
Platform: darwin
CPU cores: 10
Free memory: 4821 MB

✅ Node.js is working correctly!

If you see that output, your Node.js environment is ready.

Installing nodemon for Development

When building Node.js apps, you will constantly edit your code and restart the server. nodemon automates this — it watches your files and restarts Node.js automatically when anything changes.

npm install -g nodemon

Verify:

nodemon --version
# 3.x.x

You will use nodemon throughout this course instead of running node index.js manually.

Common Setup Issues and Fixes

Summary

You now have a production-grade Node.js development environment set up with nvm. Here is what you configured:

• nvm installed for flexible version management (macOS/Linux/Windows)
• Node.js LTS installed and verified
• npm configured and ready for package management
• VS Code with the right extensions and settings
• nodemon installed for automatic server restarts during development

In Module 3: Your First Node.js Program → you will write your first Node.js script, understand how the runtime executes it, and explore the global objects available in every Node.js program.

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