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Node.js is a fast JavaScript runtime for building APIs, web applications, and backend services. This guide covers installing it via NVM (Node Version Manager) — the recommended approach, since it lets you install and switch between multiple Node.js versions easily.

Prerequisites

• Ubuntu 22.04/24.04 or Debian 11/12 VPS
• Root or sudo access

Step 1 — Install NVM

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.1/install.sh | bash

Reload your shell configuration:

source ~/.bashrc

Step 2 — Verify NVM Installation

nvm --version

Step 3 — Install the Latest LTS Version of Node.js

nvm install --lts

Step 4 — Verify Node.js and npm

node -v
npm -v

Step 5 — Set the Default Version

nvm alias default --lts

Installing a Specific Node.js Version

nvm install 20
nvm install 22

Switching Between Installed Versions

nvm use 20
nvm use 22

Listing Installed Versions

nvm ls

Alternative: System-Wide Install via NodeSource (No Version Switching)

For a simpler single-version system install:

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install nodejs -y

Step 6 — Create a Test Application

mkdir myapp && cd myapp
echo "console.log('Hello from Node.js');" > app.js
node app.js

Step 7 — Install PM2 for Production Process Management

npm install -g pm2

Run your application persistently:

pm2 start app.js --name myapp
pm2 startup
pm2 save

pm2 startup configures PM2 to restart your app automatically after a server reboot.

Common PM2 Commands

pm2 list
pm2 logs myapp
pm2 restart myapp
pm2 stop myapp

Common Errors

"nvm: command not found" after installation — the shell profile wasn't reloaded; run source ~/.bashrc or open a new terminal session.

Permission errors installing global npm packages — avoid using sudo with npm when using NVM (it manages its own user-writable directory); if permission errors occur, verify you're using an NVM-installed Node version, not a system one.

Best Practices

• Use NVM for development flexibility across projects with different Node.js version requirements
• Use PM2 (or a systemd service) to keep production applications running and auto-restart after crashes/reboots
• Pin your project's Node.js version in a .nvmrc file for team consistency

Related Articles

• Nginx as a Reverse Proxy for Node.js/Docker Apps
• How to Deploy a Node.js Application with PM2 and Nginx
• How to Install Docker Engine on Ubuntu & Debian