Step-by-Step Guide: Installing NVM (Node Version Manager) on Windows

Introduction: NVM (Node Version Manager) is a powerful tool that allows developers to manage multiple versions of Node.js on their Windows systems. With NVM, you can easily switch between different Node.js versions for your projects. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of installing NVM on your Windows machine.

Step 1: Download the NVM Setup: To install NVM on Windows, you need to download the NVM setup executable from the official GitHub repository. Follow these steps:

1. Open your preferred web browser and visit the NVM repository on GitHub: https://github.com/coreybutler/nvm-windows/releases.
2. Scroll down to the “Assets” section and locate the latest version of the NVM setup file (e.g., nvm-setup.zip). Click on it to start the download.

Step 2: Extract the NVM Setup: After the download is complete, navigate to the directory where the NVM setup file was saved. Follow these steps to extract it:

1. Right-click on the downloaded file (nvm-setup.zip) and select "Extract All" from the context menu.
2. Choose a destination folder where you want to extract the NVM files (e.g., C:\nvm).

Step 3: Run the NVM Setup: Once the NVM files are extracted, you can proceed with the installation process:

1. Open the extracted folder (e.g., C:\nvm).
2. Locate the nvm-setup.exe file and double-click on it to start the installation.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions provided by the NVM setup wizard.
4. Select the desired installation options, such as the destination folder and any additional components you want to install.
5. Click “Next” and then “Install” to begin the installation process.

Step 4: Configure NVM: After the installation is complete, you need to configure NVM by setting the necessary environment variables. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Start menu and search for “Environment Variables” to open the “Edit the system environment variables” window.
2. In the “System Properties” window, click the “Environment Variables” button.
3. In the “Environment Variables” window, under the “System variables” section, click the “New” button.
4. Enter “NVM_HOME” as the variable name and the installation path of NVM (e.g., C:\nvm) as the variable value.
5. Click “OK” to save the variable.
6. In the same “Environment Variables” window, under the “System variables” section, scroll down and locate the “Path” variable. Select it and click the “Edit” button.
7. In the “Edit Environment Variable” window, click the “New” button and enter %NVM_HOME% as the new entry.
8. Click “OK” to save the changes.

Step 5: Open a New Command Prompt: To start using NVM, you need to open a new Command Prompt window:

1. Close any existing Command Prompt windows.
2. Open a new Command Prompt by pressing the “Windows” key, searching for “Command Prompt,” and selecting the “Command Prompt” or “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.

Step 6: Verify NVM Installation: To verify that NVM is installed correctly, run the following command in the newly opened Command Prompt:

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nvm --version

If NVM is installed properly, it should display the installed version of NVM.

Step 7: Install Node.js using NVM: With NVM successfully installed, you can now install your desired