How to Update Node.js

To update Node.js on your system, follow the guide based on your environment:

Updating Node.js on Linux (including Ubuntu/Mint)

Using Node Version Manager (NVM)

This is the most flexible and recommended method, as it allows you to have multiple versions of Node.js installed and switch between them.

Installing NVM:

• Open the terminal.

• Run the command to install NVM:

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.3/install.sh | bash

• After installation, reload the terminal environment:

source ~/.bashrc

Check if NVM was installed correctly:

nvm --version

Installing the latest version of Node.js:

• Use the following command to list the available Node.js versions:

nvm ls-remote

• To install the latest version of Node.js:

nvm install node

Or if you want a specific version, replace node with the desired version, for example:

nvm install 16.20.1

Setting a default version:

After installing the desired version, you can set it as the default:

nvm use 16.20.1
nvm alias default 16.20.1

Using official repositories (if you don't want to use NVM)

• Add the NodeSource repository:

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo -E bash -

replace setup_lts.x with setup_18.x or setup_20.x for specific versions

• Install Node.js:

sudo apt install -y nodejs

• Check if Node was updated:

node -v

Updating on Windows (with or without NVM-Windows)

Using NVM-Windows

• Download and install NVM for Windows.

• After installation, use the terminal:

nvm install latest

• Set the version as default:

nvm use latest

Using the Node.js Installer

1. Go to the official Node.js website: nodejs.org.

2. Download the latest version (LTS recommended).

3. Run the installer and follow the instructions.

Updating on macOS

Using NVM (Node Version Manager)

• Install NVM

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.3/install.sh | bash

• Activate NVM

source ~/.bashrc

or, if you're using zsh, use:

source ~/.zshrc

• Verify the installation

nvm --version

• Install or update Node.js

nvm install node

Or, if you prefer a specific version:

nvm install 18.17.1

• Set the default version

nvm alias default 18.17.1

• Check the Node.js version

node -v

Using Homebrew

• Update Homebrew

brew update

• Update Node.js

brew upgrade node

• Install Node.js (if not installed)

brew install node

• Check the installed version

node -v

Using the Node.js Installer

If you prefer a simple method, you can use the official installer:

1. Go to the official Node.js website.

2. Download the latest version (LTS is recommended).

3. Follow the installer instructions to update Node.js.