Using a different Node.js version

Now that you’ve got Node.js setup, we can start setting up the FreeSewing development environment.

But before doing so, let’s look at how nvm can help you juggle different Node.js versions.

nvm ls

To see the different Node.js versions on your system, run this command:

Bash prompt
nvm ls

It will show you a list of local Node.js versions, either the version number or an alias that points to a specific version. You should see the lts/* alias in the list which is what we’ve just installed.

nvm ls-remote

To see all Node.js versions that are available, not just those you have locally, run this command:

Bash prompt
nvm ls-remote

It will spit out a long list of Node.js versions that you can install.

nvm install

For any of these versions, either local or remote, you can install them by making a note of the version or alias and running this command:

Bash prompt
nvm install <version-or-alias>

nvm use

With multiple Node.js versions installed, nvm allows you to switch between different versions. Just tell it which version you want to use:

Bash prompt
nvm use v10.22.1

If you picked a version that is not installed, nvm will simply tell you and even suggest the command you should type to install it. Handy!