Run any command on specific Node.js versions.

Unlike nvm execit:

• can run multiple Node.js versions at once
• can be run programmatically
• is much times faster
• does not need a separate installation step for each Node version
• can run the major release's latest minor/patch version automatically
• works on Windows. No need to run as Administrator.
• does not require Bash
• is installed as a Node module (as opposed to aBash installation scriptdownloaded with curl)

nve executes a single file or command. It does not change the node nornpm global binaries. To run a specific Node.js version for an entire projector shell session, please use nvm,nvm-windows,n or nvsinstead.

Examples

# Same as `node` but with Node 12
$ nve 12 node
Welcome to Node.js v12.22.1.
Type ".help" for more information.
> .exit

# Same as `node file.js` but with Node 8
$ nve 8 node file.js

# Any command can be used
$ nve 12 npm test

# Execute a local binary
$ nve 8 ava

# Run a specific version
$ nve 8.10.0 npm test

# Use a version range
$ nve "<8" npm test

# Run the latest Node.js version
$ nve latest npm test

# Run the latest LTS version
$ nve lts npm test

# Run the Node version from `~/.nvmrc` or the current process version
$ nve global npm test

# Run the current directory's Node.js version using its `.nvmrc` or `package.json` (`engines.node` field)
$ nve local npm test

# Use a different mirror for the Node binaries
$ nve --mirror=https://npm.taobao.org/mirrors/node 8 npm test

# Do not use the cached list of available Node.js versions
$ nve --fetch 8 npm test

# Always use the cached list of available Node.js versions even if it's more
# than one hour old
$ nve --no-fetch 8 npm test

# Use a different CPU architecture for the Node binaries
$ nve --arch=x32 8 npm test

# Chaining commands
$ nve 8 npm run build && nve 8 npm test

# Cache Node 8 download
$ nve 8 node --version

Examples (multiple versions)

# Run multiple versions
$ nve 12,10,8 npm test

 ⬢  Node 12

  105 tests passed
  Finished 'test' after 3.8 s

 ⬢  Node 10

  105 tests passed
  Finished 'test' after 4.2 s

 ⬢  Node 8

  105 tests passed
  Finished 'test' after 4.5 s

# Do not abort on the first version that fails
$ nve --continue 12,10,8 npm test

# Run all versions in parallel
$ nve --parallel 12,10,8 npm test

# Cache multiple Node downloads
$ nve 12,10,8 node --version

Examples (list versions)

# Prints latest Node.js version
$ nve latest
16.3.0

# Prints latest Node.js 8 version
$ nve 8
8.17.0

# Prints latest Node.js 12, 10 and 8 versions
$ nve 12,10,8
12.22.1
10.24.1
8.17.0

Demo

You can try this library:

• either directly in your browser.
• or by executing the examples files in a terminal.

Install

npm install -g nve

node >=12.20.0 must be globally installed. However the command run by nvecan use any Node version (providing it is compatible with it).

To use this programmatically (from Node.js) instead, please checknvexeca.

Usage

nve [OPTIONS...] VERSION,... [COMMAND] [ARGS...]

This is exactly the same as:

COMMAND [ARGS...]

But using a specific Node VERSION. Several comma-separated VERSION can bespecified at once.

VERSION can be any version range such as12, 12.6.0 or <12, or one of the following aliases:

• latest: Latest available Node version
• lts: Latest LTS Node version
• global: Global Node version
  • Using the home directory .nvmrc orpackage.json (engines.node field)
  • Some additional filesused by other Node.js version managers are also searched for
  • If nothing is found, defaults to the current process's Node version
• local: Current directory's Node version
  • Using the current directory or parent directories.nvmrc,package.json (engines.node field)(oradditional files)
  • Defaults to the global version

COMMAND must be compatible with the specific Node VERSION. For example npmis only compatible with Node >=6.

Both global and local binaries can be executed.

Options

--continue

Alias: -c
Type: boolean
Default: false

By default, when running multiple Node versions and one of those versions fails,the others are aborted. This option disables this.

--parallel

Alias: -p
Type: boolean
Default: false

When running multiple Node versions, run all of them at the same time. This isfaster. However this does not work if the command:

• requires some interactive CLI input (for example using a prompt)
• is not concurrency-safe

--progress

Type: boolean
Default: true

Whether to show a progress bar while the Node binary is downloading.

--mirror

Alias: -m
Type: string
Default: https://nodejs.org/dist

Base URL to retrieve Node binaries. Can be overridden (for examplehttps://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.

--fetch

Alias: -f
Type: boolean
Default: undefined

The list of available Node.js versions is cached for one hour by default. With:

• --fetch: the cache will not be used
• --no-fetch: the cache will be used even if it's older than one hour

The default value is undefined (neither of the above). When no COMMAND isspecified (only printing the Node.js version), the default value is --fetchinstead.

--arch

Alias: -a
Type: string
Default:process.arch

Node.js binary's CPU architecture. This is useful for example when you're on x64but would like to run Node.js x32.

All the values fromprocess.arch areallowed except mips and mipsel.

Initial download

The first time nve is run with a new VERSION, the Node binary is downloadedunder the hood. This initially takes few seconds. However subsequent runs arealmost instantaneous.

COMMAND can be omitted in order to cache that initial download withoutexecuting any commands.

Difference with nvm

nve is meant for one-off command execution. Examples include:

• running tests with an older Node.js version
• checking if an older Node.js version supports a specific syntax or feature
• benchmarking different Node.js versions
• programmatic usage or child processes

Tools like nvm,nvm-windows,n or nvs aremeant to execute a specific Node.js version for an entire machine, project orshell session.

nve can (and probably should) be used alongside those tools.

Native modules

If your code is using native modules, nve works providing:

• they are built with N-API
• the target Node.js version is >=8.12.0 (since N-API was not available orstable before that)

Otherwise the following error message is shown:Error: The module was compiled against a different Node.js version.

Benchmarks

The following benchmarks compare the average time to runnve, nvm exec andnpx node:

nve:      286ms
nvm exec: 580ms
npx node: 861ms

See also

• nvexeca: Like nve but programmatic(from Node.js)
• execa: Process execution for humans
• get-node: Download Node.js
• preferred-node-version:Get the preferred Node.js version of a project or user
• node-version-alias: ResolveNode.js version aliases like latest, lts or erbium
• normalize-node-version:Normalize and validate Node.js versions
• all-node-versions: List allavailable Node.js versions
• fetch-node-website: Fetchreleases on nodejs.org
• global-cache-dir: Get theglobal cache directory

Support

For any question, don't hesitate to submit an issue on GitHub.

Everyone is welcome regardless of personal background. We enforce aCode of conduct in order to promote a positive andinclusive environment.

Contributing

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

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

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

Thanks go to our wonderful contributors:

ehmicky �� �� �� ��

Scott Warren ��

Charlike Mike Reagent �� ��

Hongarc ��

Pedro Augusto de Paula Barbosa ��

Adrien Becchis �� ⚠️ ��