How to Install Node.js on Ubuntu (apt, NodeSource, and nvm Compared)

Short answer: There are three common ways to install Node.js on Ubuntu. sudo apt install nodejs npm is the quickest, but it gives you Ubuntu's packaged version, which is often several major releases behind. For servers, add the NodeSource repository (curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_24.x | sudo -E bash -, then sudo apt install -y nodejs) to get a current LTS release that apt upgrade keeps patched. For development machines, or for running several versions side by side, install nvm and run nvm install --lts. Check the result with node -v and npm -v.

Which Way Should You Install Node.js on Ubuntu?

Method	Version you get	Who it's for	Updates
Ubuntu repo (apt install nodejs)	Whatever the Ubuntu release shipped with	Quick scripts, tools that only need some Node	apt upgrade (security patches only, same major)
NodeSource repo	Any current major (LTS or Current)	Production servers, CI runners	apt upgrade within the major you chose
nvm (Node Version Manager)	Any version, several at once	Developers, multiple projects, testing upgrades	nvm install <version> per user
Official binary tarball	Any version	Air-gapped or custom installs	Manual

Ubuntu's repositories freeze Node.js at release time. Ubuntu 24.04 ships Node.js 18 and Ubuntu 22.04 ships Node.js 12, and both of those majors are past end of life upstream. Modern frameworks (Next.js, NestJS, Strapi, Vite) won't run on them. Unless you have a reason to stay on the distro package, use NodeSource or nvm.

Pick an LTS Version

Node.js publishes a new major release every six months. Even-numbered majors become Long-Term Support (LTS) releases and get security fixes for about 30 months. Odd-numbered majors are short-lived "Current" releases. In production, always run an Active or Maintenance LTS version. The live schedule is on the Node.js releases page. This guide uses 24 in its examples. Substitute whichever LTS major is current when you read this.

Prerequisites

• Ubuntu 24.04 or 22.04 (server, desktop, or WSL2)
• A user with sudo access
• curl installed (sudo apt install -y curl)

Option 1: Install Node.js from Ubuntu's Repositories

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

This is fine for running a small tool, but you're stuck with the distro's major version for the life of that Ubuntu release. If node -v prints a version older than your project's engines field, remove it (see How to Uninstall Node.js) and use Option 2 or 3.

Option 2: Install Node.js with NodeSource (Recommended for Servers)

NodeSource maintains Debian/Ubuntu packages for every supported Node.js major. Their setup script adds the APT repository and signing key:

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_24.x -o nodesource_setup.sh
less nodesource_setup.sh          # read it before running anything as root
sudo -E bash nodesource_setup.sh
sudo apt install -y nodejs

The NodeSource nodejs package includes npm (and npx), so don't install Ubuntu's separate npm package on top of it. Verify:

node -v
npm -v
which node        # /usr/bin/node

From now on, sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade installs patch and minor releases within the major you chose. To move to the next major (24 → 26), run the setup script for the new major and sudo apt install nodejs again.

Install Build Tools for Native Modules

Packages like bcrypt, sharp (when no prebuilt binary matches), and sqlite3 compile C/C++ code during npm install. Install a compiler toolchain once:

sudo apt install -y build-essential python3

Option 3: Install Node.js with nvm (Recommended for Development)

nvm installs Node.js into your home directory, per user, with no sudo. It lets you keep several versions installed and switch per project.

Install nvm. Copy the current command from the nvm README, since the version in the URL changes with each release:

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.3/install.sh | bash
source ~/.bashrc          # or open a new terminal
nvm --version

Install and use Node.js:

nvm install --lts         # latest LTS
nvm install 22            # an older line, side by side
nvm ls                    # list installed versions
nvm use 24                # switch in this shell
nvm alias default 24      # version for new shells

Pin a Version per Project with .nvmrc

cd ~/code/myapp
echo "24" > .nvmrc
nvm use                   # reads .nvmrc
nvm install               # installs it if missing

Commit .nvmrc so everyone on the team (and your CI) runs the same major. Pair it with an engines field in package.json:

{
  "engines": {
    "node": ">=24"
  }
}

nvm Command Reference

Command	What it does
nvm install --lts	Install the newest LTS release
nvm install 24	Install the newest 24.x
nvm use 22	Switch the current shell to 22.x
nvm alias default 24	Default version for new shells
nvm ls-remote --lts	List all LTS versions available
nvm install 24 --reinstall-packages-from=22	Upgrade and carry over global packages
nvm uninstall 20	Remove a version
nvm which 24	Print the path to that node binary

nvm on Servers: One Caveat

nvm is a shell function loaded from ~/.bashrc. systemd units, cron jobs, and sudo don't load your shell profile, so plain node won't be found there. Either reference the full path (nvm which 24), or use NodeSource on servers. Process managers like PM2 record the absolute path when you run pm2 startup, so they work with nvm as long as you start them from a shell where nvm is loaded.

Configure npm Global Packages Without sudo

With nvm, npm install -g writes into your home directory. No sudo is needed, and you shouldn't use it.

With NodeSource or the Ubuntu package, global installs go to /usr/lib/node_modules and need sudo. To avoid running npm as root, point the global prefix at your home directory:

mkdir -p ~/.npm-global
npm config set prefix ~/.npm-global
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.npm-global/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
npm install -g pm2

pnpm and Yarn

Corepack (which provides pnpm and yarn shims) is bundled with Node.js 24 and earlier. Newer majors no longer ship it, so install it from npm there:

corepack enable                 # Node 24 and earlier
npm install -g corepack && corepack enable   # newer Node majors
pnpm -v

Test Your Node.js Install

Create a tiny HTTP server to confirm everything works:

mkdir -p ~/hello-node && cd ~/hello-node
cat > server.js <<'EOF'
const http = require('node:http');
http.createServer((req, res) => {
  res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain' });
  res.end(`Hello from Node.js ${process.version}\n`);
}).listen(3000, '127.0.0.1', () => console.log('Listening on http://127.0.0.1:3000'));
EOF
node server.js

In another terminal, run curl http://127.0.0.1:3000. Once that works, you're ready to run it in production with PM2 and Nginx or package it with Docker.

How to Upgrade Node.js on Ubuntu

Installed with	Upgrade within major	Upgrade to new major
Ubuntu repo	sudo apt upgrade	Not possible. Switch to NodeSource or nvm.
NodeSource	sudo apt upgrade	Run the new setup_XX.x script, then sudo apt install nodejs
nvm	nvm install 24 (gets latest 24.x)	nvm install 26 --reinstall-packages-from=24

After a major upgrade, delete node_modules and run npm ci. Native modules are compiled against a specific Node ABI and must be rebuilt. Restart your app (for example pm2 reload all, then pm2 save).

How to Uninstall Node.js from Ubuntu

Ubuntu or NodeSource package:

sudo apt remove --purge -y nodejs npm
sudo apt autoremove -y
ls /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ | grep -i nodesource   # remove that file to drop the repo
sudo apt update

nvm:

nvm deactivate
nvm uninstall 24
rm -rf ~/.nvm      # removes nvm itself; also delete the nvm lines from ~/.bashrc

Troubleshooting Node.js on Ubuntu

Symptom	Cause	Fix
node -v shows an old version after installing NodeSource	Ubuntu's package still installed or pinned	sudo apt remove nodejs npm, rerun the NodeSource setup, sudo apt install nodejs
nodejs : Conflicts: npm	Ubuntu's npm package clashes with NodeSource's bundled npm	sudo apt remove npm. NodeSource already includes it.
nvm: command not found	Shell profile not reloaded	source ~/.bashrc, or open a new terminal
node: not found in cron/systemd	nvm only loads in interactive shells	Use the absolute path from nvm which, or NodeSource on servers
EACCES: permission denied on npm install -g	Global prefix owned by root	Set npm config set prefix ~/.npm-global or use nvm. Don't use sudo npm.
gyp ERR! find Python / make: not found	No build toolchain	sudo apt install build-essential python3
Unsupported engine warnings	Project needs a newer Node	Install the version in .nvmrc / engines
Error: The module was compiled against a different Node.js version	Native module built for old ABI	rm -rf node_modules && npm ci

Keep an Eye on the Apps You Run

Installing Node.js is step one. The apps you build on it still crash, run out of memory, or hang on a stuck database connection. Process managers restart a crashed process, but none of them tell you when your site is down from a user's point of view.

GreenCrew runs HTTP uptime checks against your app's public URL and alerts you on Discord, Slack, or Telegram when it stops responding correctly. It also gives you a public status page you can share with users. Point it at a /health route and see how to get website downtime alerts on Discord, Slack, and Telegram for setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best way to install Node.js on Ubuntu?

Use NodeSource on servers, because it's a normal APT package that gets security updates through apt upgrade and is available to every user and systemd service. Use nvm on development machines, where you need several versions and don't want sudo for global packages.

Does NodeSource install npm too?

Yes. The NodeSource nodejs package bundles npm and npx. Installing Ubuntu's npm package alongside it causes a dependency conflict.

Can I have nvm and NodeSource installed at the same time?

You can, but it's confusing. Whichever comes first in your PATH wins, and nvm puts its version first in interactive shells. If you need both (NodeSource for services, nvm for testing), check which node before debugging anything.

Which Node.js version should I use in production?

An Active LTS release, or a Maintenance LTS release if your dependencies aren't ready for the newer one. Never run an odd-numbered Current release or an end-of-life major in production. Check the Node.js release schedule.

Conclusion

Ubuntu's own nodejs package is too old for most real projects. Install Node.js from NodeSource on servers so apt keeps it patched, and use nvm on your workstation to switch versions per project with .nvmrc. Install build-essential for native modules, keep global npm packages out of root, and rebuild node_modules after every major upgrade. Then deploy your app behind PM2 and Nginx and let GreenCrew alert you on Discord, Slack, or Telegram if it ever stops responding.