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 >=10.17.0 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.

arch

Type: string
Default: process.arch

Node.js binary's CPU architecture. This is useful for example when you're on x64 but would like to run Node.js x32.

All the values from process.arch are allowed except mips and mipsel.

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!

Thanks go to our wonderful contributors:

ehmicky 💻 🎨 🤔 📖

Charlike Mike Reagent 🐛

Changelog

7.1.1

Bug fixes

• Fix arch option