How do I update Node.js?

Question

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I did the following to update my npm:

npm update npm -g

But I have no idea how to update Node.js. Any suggestions? (I'm using Node.js 0.4.1 and want to update to Node.js 0.6.1.)

Answer 1

Use Node Version Manager (NVM)

It's a Bash script that lets you download and manage different versions of node. Full source code is here.

There is a separate project for nvm for Windows: github.com/coreybutler/nvm-windows

Below are the full steps to use NVM for multiple version of node on windows

1. download nvm-setup.zip extract and install it.
2. execute command nvm list available from cmd or gitbash or powershell, this will list all available version of node
3. use command nvm install version e.g. nvm install 12.14.0 to install on the machine
4. last once installed use nvm use version to use newer version e.g. nvm use 12.14.0

Answer 2

I used the following instructions to upgrade from Node.js version 0.10.6 to 0.10.21 on a Mac.

1. Clear NPM's cache:

   sudo npm cache clean -f
   

2. Install a little helper called 'n'

   sudo npm install -g n
   

3. Install latest stable Node.js version

   sudo n stable
   

Alternatively pick a specific version and install like this:

sudo n 0.8.20

For production environments you might want to pay attention to version numbering and be picky about odd/even numbers.

Credits

• General procedure: D.Walsh
• Stable/unstable versions: P.Teixeira

---

Update (June 2017):

This four years old post still receives up-votes so I'm guessing it still works for many people. However, Mr. Walsh himself recommended to update Node.js just using nvm instead.

So here's what you might want to do today:

Find out which version of Node.js you are using:

node --version

Find out which versions of Node.js you may have installed and which one of those you're currently using:

nvm ls

List all versions of Node.js available for installation:

nvm ls-remote

Apparently for Windows the command would be rather like this:

nvm ls available

Assuming you would pick Node.js v8.1.0 for installation you'd type the following to install that version:

nvm install 8.1.0

You are then free to choose between installed versions of Node.js. So if you would need to use an older version like v4.2.0 you would set it as the active version like this:

nvm use 4.2

Answer 3

If you have Homebrew installed (only for macOS):

$ brew upgrade node

Answer 4

Any OS (including Windows, Mac & Linux)

Updated May 2021

---

Just go to the official Node.js site (nodejs.org), download and execute the installer program.

It will take care of everything and with a few clicks of 'Next' you'll get the latest Node.js version running on your machine. Since 2020 it's the recommended way to update NodeJS. It's the easiest and least frustrating solution.

---

Pro tips

• NodeJS installation includes NPM (Node package manager).

• To check your NPM version use npm version or node --version.

• If you prefer CLI, to update NPM use npm install -g npm and then npm install -g node.

• For more details, see the docs for install command.

• Keep an eye on NodeJS blog - Vulnerabilities so you don't miss important security releases. Keep your NodeJS up-to-date.

• Operating systems supported by Node.js: Windows, Linux, MacOS, IBM AIX.

• For Docker users, here's the official Node.js image.

• For more information on installing Node.js on a variety of less-common operating systems, see this page (node for Android!).

• Troubleshooting for Windows:

  If anyone gets file error 2502/2503 like myself during install, run the .msi via Administrator command prompt with command msiexec /package [node msi]

---

^{If my answer is helpful, don't forget to upvote it
(here is the original answer by Anmol Saraf, upvote it too)}

Answer 5

2021: Just go to nodejs.org and use the latest installer.

That's it folks. It used to be more complex and people used different kinds of packages and strategies to manage it. But things have changed for the better.

Works for all platforms (Windows, Mac & Linux).

Answer 6

First update npm,

npm install -g npm stable

Then update node,

npm install -g node or npm install -g n

check after version installation,

node --version or node -v

Answer 7

On Windows you can use Chocolatey to install and update Node.js (and lots of other packages).

Install Node

cinst nodejs.install

Update Node

cup nodejs.install

Note: You will need to install Chocolatey before you can use cinst and cup.

Answer 8

To upgrade node to the latest version or to a specific version you can do the following:

sudo npm install n -g
sudo n 0.10.18   // This will give you the specific version

For the latest stable version:

sudo n stable

For the latest LTS version(Tested on Mac)

sudo n lts

Answer 9

To control your version of Node.js, you can try n. I found it very straightforward and useful.

n is a Node.js binary management, no subshells, no profile setup, no convoluted API, just simple.

npm install -g n

n 0.6.19 will install Node.js v0.6.19.

Answer 10

Short & stupid answer:

Go to this page: Download | Node.js

Download the installer for your platform, then install it.

Answer 11

I had the same problem, when I saw that my Node.js installation is outdated.

These few lines will handle everything (for Ubuntu):

sudo npm cache clean -f
sudo npm install -g n
sudo n stable

After this node -v will return you the latest available version.

Answer 12

On CentOS 7 you can do the following:

sudo npm cache clean -f
sudo npm install -g n
sudo n stable
sudo ln -sf /usr/local/n/versions/node/5.4.1/bin/node /usr/bin/node
node –v (Should show updated version now)
npm rebuild node-sass (Optional: if you use this)

Note: The symlink is required to link your node binary with the latest Node.js installed binary file.

Answer 13

For OS X, I had v5.4.1 and needed the latest version 6 so I went to the Node.js homepage and clicked on one of the links below:

I then followed the installer and then I magically had the latest version of Node.js and npm.

Answer 14

You may use nvm.

1. Check what is the latest version at http://nodejs.org/ (e.g. v0.10.26)
2. Run nvm install v0.10.26

Done.

You can choose which version to run:

nvm ls list the available versions and tells you which version you are using now.

nvm use VERSION change the current node to the requested version.

nvm alias default VERSION set the default version. The next time you source nvm.sh, this will be the version loaded (note that it doesn't change the version in use right now, run nvm use for that).

Answer 15

Some Linux distributions such as Arch Linux have Node.js in their package repositories. On such systems it is better to use a standard package update procedure, such as pacman -Suy or analogous apt-get or yum commands.

As of now (Nov 2016) EPEL7 offers a pretty recent version of Node.js (6.9.1 which is an up-to-date LTS version offered on the Node.js home page). So on CentOS 7 and derivatives you can just add EPEL repository by yum install epel-release and yum install nodejs.

CentOS 6/EPEL6 has 0.10.x which isn't supported upstream since Oct 2016.

Answer 16

For macOS in 2018+ (as ALL of the solutions above are failing for me):

Simply go to the official nodejs site, download the official nodejs package and install it by double clicking. It's the most simple, safe and always-working thing you can do.

Answer 17

The easy way to update node and npm :

npm install -g npm@latest

download the latest version of node js and update /install

Answer 18

Today I ran on a Windows Git Bash:

$ npm i node -g

and got the following output:

> [email protected] preinstall C:\Users\X\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node
> node installArchSpecificPackage

+ [email protected]
added 1 package and audited 1 package in 23.368s
found 0 vulnerabilities

C:\Users\X\AppData\Roaming\npm\node -> C:\Users\X\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\node\bin\node
+ [email protected]
added 2 packages from 1 contributor in 26.089s

Read more about it at https://www.npmjs.com/package/node.

Answer 19

You may use Chocolatey on Windows. It's very easy to use and useful for keeping you updated with other applications too.

Also, you can just simply download the latest version from https://nodejs.org and install it.

Answer 20

$ npm install -g npm stable

worked for me to update npm

Answer 21

• Install nvm(cURL)

  $ curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/creationix/nvm/v0.31.1/install.sh | bash

  OR with Wget

  $ wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/creationix/nvm/v0.33.1/install.sh | bash

• Display list of installed versions

  $ nvm ls

• Display list of versions that are available to install

  $ nvm ls-remote

• Install your preferred version

  $ nvm install v7.5.0

• Set this version as the default

  $ nvm alias default v7.5.0

Answer 22

For Ubuntu:

sudo apt-get install -y curl
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_0.12 | sudo bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

Source: https://askubuntu.com/questions/426750/how-can-i-update-my-nodejs-to-the-latest-version

Answer 23

According to Nodejs Official Page, you can install&update new node version on windows using Chocolatey or Scoop

Using(Chocolatey):

cinst nodejs
# or for full install with npm
cinst nodejs.install

Using(Scoop):

scoop install nodejs

Also you can download the Windows Installer directly from the nodejs.org web site

Answer 24

As some of you already said, the easiest way is to update Node.js through the Node.js package manager, npm. If you are a Linux (Debian-based in my case) user I would suggest to add these lines to your .bashrc file (in home directory):

function nodejsupdate() {
    ARGC=$#
    version=latest
    if [ $ARGC != 0 ]; then
        version=$1
    fi
    sudo npm cache clean -f
    sudo npm install -g n
    sudo n $version
}

Restart your terminal after saving and write nodejsupdate to update to the latest version of Node.js or nodejsupdate v6.0.0 (for example) to update to a specific version of Node.js.

BONUS: Update npm (add these lines to .bashrc)

function npmupdate() {
    sudo npm i npm -g
}

After restarting the terminal write npmupdate to update your node package manager to the latest version.

Now you can update Node.js and npm through your terminal (easier).

Answer 25

All you need to version update of Node.js:

$ brew install node

If you don't have Homebrew; please go http://brew.sh/.

Answer 26

Just install the new version over the current folder. I upgraded mine from v4.x to v6.10 on Windows.

Answer 27

In windows download the node executable file from the website and install it. this worked for me.

Answer 28

1. npm clean cache - you forget to clean ur cache

2. npm update -g

   This works on mine Windows, I hope it will also work for you :D

Answer 29

If you want to update Node.js, just try

npm update

from your Windows cmd prompt.

Else if you want to update any specific package try

npm update <package_name>

Example:

npm update phonegap

Answer 30

open cmd and type

npm i -g npm