get-node

Download a specific version of Node.js.

The Node.js release is downloaded, uncompressed and untared to an executable file ready to run.

Fast:

• the download is cached
• the best compression algorithm available on your machine is used
• everything is streamed

Reliable:

• the binary is checked against official checksums
• can be safely run concurrently
• atomic writes

Features include:

• Linux/Mac/Windows support
• works with old Node.js versions
• progress bar
• using version ranges
• specifying a mirror website for nodejs.org
• helpful error messages

Example

const getNode = require('get-node')

// Download a specific Node.js release
const { path, version } = await getNode('8')
console.log(path) // /home/user/.cache/nve/8.16.2/node
console.log(version) // 8.16.2

// Download Node.js latest release
const { path, version } = await getNode('*')
console.log(path) // /home/user/.cache/nve/13.0.1/node
console.log(version) // 13.0.1

// Any version range can be used
await getNode('8.12.0')
await getNode('<7')

// Specify the output directory
const { path } = await getNode('8', {
  output: '/home/user/.cache/node_releases/',
})
console.log(path) // /home/user/.cache/node_releases/13.0.1/node

// Use a mirror website
await getNode('8', { mirror: 'https://npm.taobao.org/mirrors/node' })

Install

npm install get-node

node >=8.12.0 must be globally installed. However any Node version can be downloaded.

To use this module as a CLI instead, please check get-node-cli.

Usage

getNode(version, options?)

version: string
options: object?
Return value: Promise<object>

version can be any version range such as 12, 12.6.0 or <12.

Options

output

Type: string
Default: global cache directory such as /home/user/.cache/nve/.

Output directory for the node executable.

It the directory already has a node executable, no download is performed. This enables caching.

progress

Type: boolean Default: false

Whether to show a progress bar.

mirror

Type: string
Default: https://nodejs.org/dist

Base URL. Can be overridden (for example https://npm.taobao.org/mirrors/node).

The following environment variables can also be used: NODE_MIRROR, NVM_NODEJS_ORG_MIRROR, N_NODE_MIRROR or NODIST_NODE_MIRROR.

Return value

The returned Promise resolves to an object with the following properties.

path

Type: string

Absolute path to the node executable.

version

Type: string

Normalized Node.js version.

See also

• get-node-cli: get-node as a CLI
• nve: Run a specific Node.js version (CLI)
• nvexeca: Run a specific Node.js version (programmatic)
• normalize-node-version: Normalize and validate Node.js versions
• all-node-versions: List all available Node.js versions
• fetch-node-website: Fetch releases on nodejs.org
• global-cache-dir: Get the global cache directory

Support

If you found a bug or would like a new feature, don't hesitate to submit an issue on GitHub.

For other questions, feel free to chat with us on Gitter.

Everyone is welcome regardless of personal background. We enforce a Code of conduct in order to promote a positive and inclusive environment.

Contributing

This project was made with ❤️. The simplest way to give back is by starring and sharing it online.

If the documentation is unclear or has a typo, please click on the page's Edit button (pencil icon) and suggest a correction.

If you would like to help us fix a bug or add a new feature, please check our guidelines. Pull requests are welcome!

ehmicky 💻 🎨 🤔 📖

Changelog

6.4.0

Features

• Improve the internal directory structure used to cache the Node.js binary
• Cleanup temporary files when Node.js download fails