Node.js

Source: [REF-1] Install Node.js Locally with Node Version Manager (nvm)

On the Windows host, best to setup WSL and install node.js in the WSL. Also put the code folder and all the nodejs modules in WSL. Then, run VS Code from the Windows host and connect remotely to the code folder on WSL. [also see this article]

See Windows WSL for setup and Connect VS Code to WSL folder.

Install - FRESH nodejs using fnm, or nvm

fnm (Fast Node Manager) is the latest and recommended package manager now.

Linux 2024-update

Updated: 2024 Jul

source: https://nodejs.org/en/download/package-manager/

# installs fnm (Fast Node Manager)
curl -fsSL https://fnm.vercel.app/install | bash
# download and install Node.js
fnm use --install-if-missing 20
# verifies the right Node.js version is in the environment
node -v # should print `v20.15.1`
# verifies the right NPM version is in the environment
npm -v # should print `10.7.0`

Debian

The following scripts clone the nvm repository then update the profile .bash_profile.

# check [REF-3] Github for the latest version
$ curl -sL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.1/install.sh | bash

# the script install "export NVM_DIR=..." to .bashrc because
# .bash_profile does not exist
$ source ~/.bashrc
# when using the interactive terminal
#source ~/.bash_profile

# verify installation
$ command -v nvm

# install latest LTS node.js
$ nvm install --lts
# checked installed version - Jun 23, 2022
$ node --version
v16.15.1
$ npm --version
8.11.0

You can confirm that the profile is updated by looking at the install script's output to determine which file it used. Look for something like the following in that file:

$ export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"
      [ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && \. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"  # This loads nvm
      [ -s "$NVM_DIR/bash_completion" ] && \. "$NVM_DIR/bash_completion"  # This loads nvm bash_completion

Windows

• Download the Windows Binary (.zip) from https://nodejs.org/en/download/

• Extract the zip file and copy the nodejs folder to C:\<app-folder>

• Setup Environment Variable; add C:\<app-folder>\nodejs

  • Open the Windows "System Properties", edit the "Path" for the "user variables for <username>", to set the environment variable

• Verify installation

C:\>node --version
v18.12.0

C:\>npm --version
8.19.2

C:\>npx --version
8.19.2

C:\>

• NOTE: How to completely remove node.js from Windows

Windows ZIP file

Downloading the zip file, unzip it to an <app_folder> of your choice, then set the `PATH` so that windows can find it. NOTE: I think this is the BEST approach. ⭐⭐⭐

See https://nodejs.org/en/download/prebuilt-binaries

To UPGRADE, just download another zip, unzip it and set the PATH to the new folder.

[Alternative] Install - nodejs using apt

Installing Node.js with Apt from the Default Repositories

[REF-4]

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nodejs
node -v
sudo apt install npm

Installing Node.js with Apt Using a NodeSource PPA

[REF-4] PPA (personal package archive) maintained by NodeSource. These PPAs have more versions of Node.js available than the official Ubuntu repositories. Node.js v12, v14, and v16 are available as of the time of writing.

cd ~
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_16.x -o /tmp/nodesource_setup.sh
# CHECK the content of the setup script
#nano /tmp/nodesource_setup.sh
sudo bash /tmp/nodesource_setup.sh
sudo apt install nodejs
node -v
npm -v

Update nodejs version in WSL

Source: Install Node.js on Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2)

• Tested (Jul 2024) on the following existing setup: nvm, nodejs have been installed but older version then need to update; Current LTS version: v20.15.1;

• Inspect existing environments:

wsl:~$ node --version
v18.16.0
wsl:~$ npm --version
9.5.1
wsl:~$ nvm --version
0.39.3
wsl:~$ nvm ls
->     v18.16.0
default -> lts/* (-> v18.16.0)
iojs -> N/A (default)
unstable -> N/A (default)
node -> stable (-> v18.16.0) (default)
stable -> 18.16 (-> v18.16.0) (default)
lts/* -> lts/hydrogen (-> v18.16.0)
lts/argon -> v4.9.1 (-> N/A)
lts/boron -> v6.17.1 (-> N/A)
lts/carbon -> v8.17.0 (-> N/A)
lts/dubnium -> v10.24.1 (-> N/A)
lts/erbium -> v12.22.12 (-> N/A)
lts/fermium -> v14.21.3 (-> N/A)
lts/gallium -> v16.20.0 (-> N/A)
lts/hydrogen -> v18.16.0

• Update nodejs

# find the available versions
nvm ls-remote
nvm install 20.15.1
nvm install 20.15.1 --reinstall-packages-from=18.16.0
# upgrade npm if necessary
npm install -g npm@10.8.1
# uninstall old version
nvm uninstall 18.16.0

References

• [REF-1] Install Node.js Locally with Node Version Manager (nvm)

• [REF-2] npm-doc Downloading and installing Node.js and npm

• [REF3] Github Node Version Manager

• [REF-4] DigitalOcean How To Install Node.js on Ubuntu 20.04