NodeSource Distributions
Scripts that install Node.js on Linux from NodeSource's apt and yum package repositories.nodesource/distributions
- Stars
- 13.9k
- Forks
- 3.1k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- Shell
- Last update
- 7 days ago
- Type
- Dev tool
What it is
This repository holds the setup scripts NodeSource uses to publish Node.js binary packages for Linux distributions. The README provided here is very short and mostly points to an older DEV_README.md, so the details of how the scripts are used are not shown. The description and topics indicate it is a way to install the Node.js runtime on Linux.
- Install a chosen Node.js major version on a Linux server
- Set up a consistent Node.js runtime across Linux machines
Great for
- Linux users who want a Node.js version installed through their system package manager
- Server admins setting up Node.js on Debian or Ubuntu style systems
- Developers who need a specific Node.js major version on Linux
Not ideal for
- macOS or Windows users, since the description refers to Linux packages (the README does not list other platforms)
- People who want the latest Node.js with no setup, since the README does not describe how versions are chosen
- Anyone who needs the README's detailed instructions, because the provided README only links to older documentation
How to get it
- 1
See the README
You'll need: Linux system with apt or yum package manager · Root or sudo access
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/nodesource/distributions - 2
Run it
- Read DEV_README.md in the repository for the setup instructions
- Run the setup script that matches your Linux distribution, as described there
- Check the installed version with node --version
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Use the DEV_README.md documentation, which the README points to for details
- Check the NodeSource website linked as the homepage for current distribution guidance
Downloads
Strengths
- Widely starred project (13,850 stars in the metadata) associated with the NodeSource brand
- Released under the MIT license, which permits free use and modification
- Recently updated, with the last push listed in the metadata
Trade-offs
- The provided README is truncated and mostly a pointer to older documentation, so usage details are unclear
- No formal release is listed, so there is no versioned release to rely on
- Tied to Linux package distribution and to the NodeSource service rather than a general-purpose tool
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| distributions (this) | 13.9k | Dev tool | intermediate | 7 days ago | Linux users who want a Node.js version installed through their system package manager |
| nvm | 95.7k | Dev tool | beginner | 8 days ago | Developers who work on several Node.js projects that need different versions |
| tsx | 12.2k | CLI | beginner | 1 months ago | Developers who already use Node.js and want to run TypeScript scripts quickly |
| pear-desktop | 34k | App | beginner | 4 days ago | People who want YouTube Music in a standalone desktop window |
| wasmer | 21.2k | Dev tool | intermediate | 4 days ago | Developers who want to run untrusted or third-party code with explicit access controls |
| cz-cli | 17.5k | Dev tool | beginner | 1 months ago | Teams that want every commit message to follow the same format |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.