nve

Run any command on specific Node.js versions

Node.js version management

ehmicky/nve Run any command on specific Node.js versions nve

README

Run any command on specific Node.js versions.

Unlike [nvm exec](https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm/blob/master/README.md#usage)

it:

- can run multiple Node.js versions at once

- can be run programmatically

- is much 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 a

Bash installation script

downloaded with curl)

nve executes a single file or command. It does not change the node nor

npm global binaries. To run a specific Node.js version for an entire project

or shell session, please use [nvm](https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm),

[nvm-windows](https://github.com/coreybutler/nvm-windows),

[n](https://github.com/tj/n) or [nvs](https://github.com/jasongin/nvs)

instead.

Examples

```bash
# Same as `node` but with Node 12
$ nve 12 node
Welcome to Node.js v12.22.12.
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
# Run the Node version using a file like `.nvmrc` or `package.json`
$ nve /path/to/.nvmrc npm test
# Use a different mirror for the Node binaries
$ nve --mirror=https://npmmirror.com/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)

```bash
# Run multiple versions
$ nve 12,10,8 npm test
⬢ Node 12.22.12
105 tests passed
Finished 'test' after 3.8 s
⬢ Node 10.24.1
105 tests passed
Finished 'test' after 4.2 s
⬢ Node 8.17.0
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)

```bash
# Prints latest Node.js version
$ nve latest
20.4.0
# Prints latest Node.js 8 version
$ nve 8
8.17.0
# Prints latest Node.js 12, 10 and 8 versions
$ nve 12,10,8
12.22.12
10.24.1
8.17.0
```

Demo

You can try this library:

- either directly in your browser.

- or by executing the [examples files](examples/README.md) in a terminal.

Install

```bash
npm install -g nve
```

node >=16.17.0 must be globally installed. However the command run by nve

can use any Node version (providing it is compatible with it).

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

[nvexeca](https://github.com/ehmicky/nvexeca).

Usage

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

This is exactly the same as:

```bash
COMMAND [ARGS...]
```

But using a specific Node VERSION. Several comma-separated VERSION can be

specified at once.

VERSION can be:

- any version range such as12, 12.6.0

or <12

- latest: Latest available Node version

- lts: Latest LTS Node version

- global: Global Node version

- Using the home directory [.nvmrc](https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm#nvmrc) or

[package.json (engines.node field)](https://docs.npmjs.com/files/package.json#engines)

- Some similar files

used 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](https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm#nvmrc),

[package.json (engines.node field)](https://docs.npmjs.com/files/package.json#engines)

similar files

- Defaults to the global version

- a file path towards a [.nvmrc](https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm#nvmrc),

[package.json (engines.node field)](https://docs.npmjs.com/files/package.json#engines)

similar files

COMMAND must be compatible with the specific Node VERSION. For example npm

is [only compatible with Node >=6](https://github.com/npm/cli#important).

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 is

faster. 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 example

https://npmmirror.com/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 is

specified (only printing the Node.js version), the default value is --fetch

instead.

--arch

_Alias_: -a\

_Type_: string\

_Default_:

[process.arch](https://nodejs.org/api/process.html#process_process_arch)

Node.js binary's CPU architecture. This is useful for example when you're on x64

but would like to run Node.js x32.

All the values from

[process.arch](https://nodejs.org/api/process.html#process_process_arch) are

allowed except mips and mipsel.

Initial download

The first time nve is run with a new VERSION, the Node binary is downloaded

under the hood. This initially takes few seconds. However subsequent runs are

almost instantaneous.

COMMAND can be omitted in order to cache that initial download without

executing 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](https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm),

[nvm-windows](https://github.com/coreybutler/nvm-windows),

[n](https://github.com/tj/n) or [nvs](https://github.com/jasongin/nvs) are

meant to execute a specific Node.js version for an entire machine, project or

shell 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 or

stable 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 run

nve, [nvm exec](https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm) and

[npx node](https://github.com/aredridel/node-bin-gen/blob/master/node-bin-README.md#use-with-npx):

```
nve: 261ms
nvm exec: 619ms
npx node: 994ms
```

Support

For any question, _don't hesitate_ to submit an issue on GitHub.

Everyone is welcome regardless of personal background. We enforce a

Code of conduct in order to promote a positive and

inclusive environment.

Contributing

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

sharing it online.

If the documentation is unclear or has a typo, please click on the page's Edit

button (pencil icon) and suggest a correction.

If you would like to help us fix a bug or add a new feature, please check our

guidelines. Pull requests are welcome!

Thanks go to our wonderful contributors:

_ehmicky
💻 🎨 🤔 📖

_{Scott Warren}
💬

_{Charlike Mike Reagent}
💬 🤔

_Hongarc
🤔

_{Pedro Augusto de Paula Barbosa}
🐛

_{Adrien Becchis}
💻 ⚠️ 🤔

_{Eric Cornelissen}
🐛 🤔

nve

README

Examples

Examples (multiple versions)

Examples (list versions)

Demo

Install

Usage

Options

--continue

--parallel

--progress

--mirror

--fetch

--arch

Initial download

Difference with nvm

Native modules

Benchmarks

See also

Support

Contributing

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