{"id":7761,"date":"2024-02-09T16:12:48","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T16:12:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.webhi.com\/how-to\/?p=7761"},"modified":"2024-02-09T16:12:50","modified_gmt":"2024-02-09T16:12:50","slug":"how-to-install-npm-debian-ubuntu-centos-rhel-linux","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.webhi.com\/how-to\/how-to-install-npm-debian-ubuntu-centos-rhel-linux\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Install NPM on Debian\/Ubuntu or CentOS\/RHEL"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Install<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

NPM <\/strong>(Node Package Manager) is a command line utility for installing, sharing and managing Node.js packages and modules. It is a package manager for the JavaScript programming language. NPM is installed with Node.js and allows developers to easily share and reuse code from the NPM registry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this extensive tutorial, we will cover how to install NPM on Debian\/Ubuntu and CentOS\/RHEL operating systems in detail. We’ll go over checking existing installations, uninstalling old versions if needed, and walk through the installation process step-by-step. Let’s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Checking for Existing Installations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before installing or reinstalling NPM, it’s a good idea to check if you already have Node.js and NPM installed and which versions currently exist on your system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Open a terminal and type:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

$ node --version\n$ npm --version<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
If Node.js and NPM are installed, these commands will show the current version number. For example, on my system I see:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ node --version\nv18.19.0\n\n$ npm --version  \n10.2.3<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This output indicates I already have Node v18.19.0 and NPM v10.2.3 installed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If these commands don’t return a version number it likely means that Node.js and NPM are not installed on your system yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Removing Old Versions (If Required)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you have an older version installed that you want to replace, we’ll go over how to remove Node.js and NPM cleanly from Debian\/Ubuntu and CentOS\/RHEL systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Note<\/strong>: Removing old installations is only required if you want to completely wipe out the existing version and dependencies for a new fresh install. If you’re fine with the current version and just want the latest updates, you can skip ahead to the installation sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Uninstall Node.js on Debian\/Ubuntu<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
To remove Node.js on Debian\/Ubuntu, run:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ sudo apt-get remove nodejs\n$ sudo apt-get purge nodejs\n$ sudo apt-get autoremove<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This will uninstall Node.js from your system along with any related packages and configuration files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can also run:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ sudo apt-get remove --purge nodejs npm<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This will remove Node.js as well as NPM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Uninstall Node.js on CentOS\/RHEL<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
To uninstall Node.js on CentOS\/RHEL, run:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ sudo yum remove nodejs\n$ sudo yum autoremove<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This will remove the Node.js package and clean up any dependencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To also remove NPM, use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ sudo yum remove npm<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
With the old installations removed, you are ready to install the latest version of Node.js and NPM on your system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Installing on Debian\/Ubuntu<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There are a few different options for installing Node.js and NPM on Debian and Ubuntu systems. We’ll go over using the default repositories and then some alternative installation methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Installing from Default Repositories<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
This method involves installing Node.js and NPM from the default Ubuntu repositories. The versions included may not be the latest, but this is a reliable way to install on Ubuntu systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To install both Node.js and NPM, run:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ sudo apt update\n$ sudo apt install nodejs npm<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This will install Node.js and NPM from the Ubuntu repositories and automatically install some dependencies as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can verify the installed versions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ node --version\n$ npm --version<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Using NodeSource Repository<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A popular alternative is to add the NodeSource repository to apt and install from there. This lets you install a more up-to-date version of Node.js than what is available in the default Ubuntu repositories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First check the latest Node.js LTS version available from the NodeSource site: https:\/\/github.com\/nodesource\/distributions<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
As of writing, the latest LTS version is Node 18.x which is what we’ll use here. But check for the latest version before installing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, install the NodeSource PPA to get access to its contents:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ curl -sL https:\/\/deb.nodesource.com\/setup_18.x | sudo -E bash -<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Note: Change the version number in the URL after ‘setup_’ to match the latest LTS version you want to install.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PPA has been added and your system repositories updated. Now install Node.js and npm:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ sudo apt-get install -y nodejs<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Finally, verify the installation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ node --version\n$ npm --version<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Using Node Version Manager (nvm)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
An even more flexible option is to install the nvm script which allows you to easily install and switch between multiple versions of Node on the same system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To install nvm on Ubuntu, first install the build tools required for some of the packages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ sudo apt update\n$ sudo apt install build-essential libssl-dev<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Then install nvm with curl and activate it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ curl -o- https:\/\/raw.githubusercontent.com\/nvm-sh\/nvm\/v0.39.7\/install.sh | bash  \nexport NVM_DIR=\"$([ -z \"${XDG_CONFIG_HOME-}\" ] && printf %s \"${HOME}\/.nvm\" || printf %s \"${XDG_CONFIG_HOME}\/nvm\")\"\n$ [ -s \"$NVM_DIR\/nvm.sh\" ] && \\. \"$NVM_DIR\/nvm.sh\" # This loads nvm<\/em><\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
With nvm installed, you can now easily install any version of Node like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ nvm install 18.19.0<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Use the latest LTS version instead of 18.19.0.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And switch between versions like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ nvm use 18.19.0<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
You can list all versions installed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ nvm list<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
And use nvm to install NPM:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ nvm install-latest-npm<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This installation method gives you complete control over Node versions installed on your system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Building from Source<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Another option is to build Node from source. This allows you to install Node with specific custom configurations if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, install the build tools required:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ sudo apt-get install gcc g++ make<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Then download the latest Node source code:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ curl -sL https:\/\/nodejs.org\/dist\/v18.19.0\/node-v18.19.0.tar.gz -o node.tar.gz<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Replace the version 18.19.0 with the desired version number. Then extract the tarball:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ tar -xzf node.tar.gz<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Move into the extracted directory and configure for build:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ cd node-v*\n$ .\/configure<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Now build and install:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ make\n$ sudo make install<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Lastly, verify install:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ node --version\n$ npm --version<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This installation method allows for custom configurations but is more complex than the other methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Installing on CentOS\/RHEL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Similar to Ubuntu, CentOS\/RHEL has several options for installing Node.js and NPM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Installing from Default Repositories<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
This involves installing from the default package repositories on CentOS\/RHEL systems. The version will not be the latest but it’s a stable way to install.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For CentOS\/RHEL 7:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ sudo yum install nodejs<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
For CentOS\/RHEL 8:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ dnf module install nodejs:18<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Using NodeSource Repository<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A popular alternative is to add the NodeSource repository and install from there. This gives you access to more up-to-date Node.js versions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First check the latest available versions from NodeSource here: https:\/\/github.com\/nodesource\/distributions<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
As of this writing, the latest LTS is v18.x so we will use that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ sudo yum install -y gcc-c++ make<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This installs some required build tools first. Then add the NodeSource repository:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ curl -sL https:\/\/rpm.nodesource.com\/setup_18.x | sudo bash -<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Install Node.js and npm:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ sudo yum install nodejs<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Check versions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ node --version\n$ npm --version<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Using nvm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You can also install nvm to manage multiple Node.js versions on CentOS\/RHEL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Install the required build tools:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ sudo yum install gcc-c++ make<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Then install nvm:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ curl -o- https:\/\/raw.githubusercontent.com\/nvm-sh\/nvm\/v0.39.7\/install.sh | bash<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Activate nvm:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ export NVM_DIR=\"$([ -z \"${XDG_CONFIG_HOME-}\" ] && printf %s \"${HOME}\/.nvm\" || printf %s \"${XDG_CONFIG_HOME}\/nvm\")\"\n$ [ -s \"$NVM_DIR\/nvm.sh\" ] && \\. \"$NVM_DIR\/nvm.sh\" # This loads nvm<\/em><\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Now you can install any Node.js version:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ nvm install 18.19.0  <\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Switch between installed versions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ nvm use 18.19.0<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
List installed versions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ nvm list<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Install NPM:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ nvm install-latest-npm<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Using nvm gives you the flexibility to install and manage multiple Node.js versions as needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Building from Source<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You can also compile Node from source if you want custom configurations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Install the required build tools:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ sudo yum groupinstall \"Development Tools\"<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Download the desired Node version source code:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ curl -sL https:\/\/nodejs.org\/dist\/v18.19.0\/node-v18.19.0.tar.gz -o node.tar.gz <\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Replace 18.19.0 with your desired version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Extract the tarball:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ tar -xzf node.tar.gz<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Move into the extracted directory and configure:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ cd node-v*  \n$ .\/configure<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Build and install:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ make\n$ sudo make install <\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Verify installation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ node --version\n$ npm --version<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
While more complex than other methods, building from source allows custom configuration options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Updating NPM<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If Node.js and NPM are already installed and you want to update to the latest version, use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ sudo npm install -g npm@latest<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This uses NPM to update itself to the latest available version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or to update to a specific version:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ sudo npm install -g npm@10.2.3<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Replace 10.2.3 with the NPM version number you want to update to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can also use the Node Version Manager (nvm) to update to the latest NPM version:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ nvm install-latest-npm<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This will install the latest available NPM version for the active Node.js version on the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Usage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
With NPM installed, you can now use various npm commands to install and manage packages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To install a package:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ npm install <package_name><\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This installs the latest version of the package to the local node_modules folder in your current working directory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To install a package globally:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ npm install -g <package_name>  <\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Global packages are installed to the system’s global node_modules folder and can be accessed from anywhere on the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To install a specific package version:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ npm install <package_name>@<version><\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Replace with the package semver number you want to install.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Update packages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ npm update  <\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This updates all packages in the current working directory to their latest versions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To list installed packages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ npm list<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This lists all the packages installed in the local folder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To see all installed global packages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$ npm list -g --depth 0<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
There are many more NPM commands for publishing packages, managing dependencies, running scripts and more. Some other commonly used commands include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n