NVM for Windows
A Windows tool for installing and switching between multiple Node.js versions.nvm-windows/nvm
- Stars
- 48.1k
- Forks
- 3.9k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- Inno Setup
- Last update
- 4 days ago
- Type
- App
What it is
NVM for Windows is a version manager for Node.js on Windows. It lets you install several Node.js versions side by side and choose which one is active, including setting a different version per project directory. The README describes it as the Microsoft and Google recommended option for Windows developers, and it is a separate project from the Mac/Linux nvm.
- Install a second Node.js version and switch to it for an older project
- Pin a Node.js version for a specific project folder so it switches automatically
- Set up default global npm modules to install automatically with each new Node.js version
- Configure local or air-gapped downloads when the machine has restricted internet access
Great for
- Windows developers who work on several Node.js projects that need different versions
- Developers who want to avoid needing administrator rights to change Node.js versions
- Teams that want a pinned Node.js version per project directory
- People moving to Windows from the Mac/Linux nvm who want a similar workflow
Not ideal for
- Mac or Linux users, since the README says the project is for Windows only and the original nvm is the one for those systems
- Users who need the commercial Certified Builds features but only use the free edition, since the policy, logging, and trust features are add-ons
- People who only ever use one Node.js version and do not need switching
How to get it
- 1
Download the app
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/nvm-windows/nvm - 2
Run it
- Download the latest installer from the GitHub releases page (v2.0.1 is listed as the stable release).
- Choose the x64 or arm64 setup file that matches your Windows machine and run it.
- Open a new terminal after installing.
- Install a Node.js version with nvm and then select it to use.
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Use per-directory version pinning so each project picks its own Node.js version automatically
- Turn on auto-install of missing versions to avoid manual installs when switching
- Set user-defined default global modules so your common tools are installed with each new version
- Use user-defined aliases to give short names to versions you use often
Downloads
Strengths
- The README says it does not require mandatory administrator privileges
- Per-directory version pinning and auto-install of missing versions reduce manual switching
- Has a large user base, with over 48,000 GitHub stars and an MIT license
Trade-offs
- The README lists several features as paid add-ons under Certified Builds, so some enterprise needs are not in the free edition
- Behavior differs from the Mac/Linux nvm, so instructions written for that tool may not apply
- The README is truncated, so detailed setup steps and system requirements are not confirmed here
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| nvm (this) | 48.1k | App | beginner | 4 days ago | Windows developers who work on several Node.js projects that need different versions |
| nvm | 95.7k | Dev tool | beginner | 8 days ago | Developers who work on several Node.js projects that need different versions |
| pnpm | 37k | Dev tool | beginner | 4 days ago | Developers working in Node.js projects who want faster installs and less disk use |
| pear-desktop | 34k | App | beginner | 4 days ago | People who want YouTube Music in a standalone desktop window |
| asdf | 25.6k | Dev tool | beginner | 5 days ago | Developers who work on several projects that need different language versions |
| debug | 11.5k | Library | beginner | 22 days ago | Node.js developers who want named, toggleable log output instead of plain console.log calls |
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.