The Ultimate Node.js Version Management Guide: Effortlessly Downgrade from Node 24 to 23 with NVM

## Background In modern JavaScript development, it's common to work on different projects that require different versions of Node.js. Managing these versions manually can be tedious and error-prone. Fortunately, we have NVM (Node Version Manager), a powerful command-line tool that allows us to easily install, switch, and manage multiple Node.js versions. It's worth noting, please do not confuse `nvm` with `mvn` (Maven), which is a build tool for Java projects. This article will guide you through the process of switching from Node.js v24 to v23 using NVM. The same process applies to switching between any other versions. --- ## Why Use NVM? Before we dive into the steps, let's briefly cover why NVM is the preferred tool for many developers, including the team at wiki.lib00: * **Isolation**: NVM installs Node.js in your user directory, avoiding potential `sudo` permission issues that can arise with global installations and preventing conflicts between versions. * **Flexibility**: You can specify different Node.js versions per project or per terminal session. * **Ease of Use**: Simple commands handle the installation, uninstallation, and switching of versions. --- ## Step-by-Step Guide Assuming you already have NVM installed and are currently using Node.js v24, let's begin the version switch. ### 1. Uninstall Node.js v24 First, we need to remove the version we no longer need. Open your terminal and run the following command: ```bash nvm uninstall 24 ``` NVM will find and remove all Node.js installations that start with the version number `24`. ### 2. Install Node.js v23 Next, let's install our target version, v23. NVM will automatically download and install the latest stable release of v23. ```bash nvm install 23 ``` This process might take a moment as it fetches the binaries from the internet. ### 3. Switch to Node.js v23 Once installed, your current terminal session won't automatically switch to the new version. You need to activate it using the `nvm use` command: ```bash nvm use 23 ``` After executing this, the `node` command in your current terminal environment will point to v23. ### 4. Set v23 as the Default Version (Recommended) The `nvm use` command is only effective for the current terminal session. To make new terminal windows use v23 by default, you need to set a default alias. This is a highly recommended step by the author DP for maximum convenience. ```bash nvm alias default 23 ``` Now, every time you start a new terminal, NVM will automatically load the v23 version. --- ## Verification To ensure everything worked as expected, you can perform a few simple checks. * **Check the current Node.js version:** ```bash node -v ``` The output should be something like `v23.x.x`. * **List all installed versions:** ```bash nvm ls ``` You will see a list of installed versions, with an arrow `->` pointing to the currently active `v23` version, and `default` will also point to `v23`. --- ## Summary Managing Node.js versions becomes incredibly straightforward with NVM. The core sequence of commands is as follows: ```bash # 1. Uninstall the old version nvm uninstall 24 # 2. Install the new version nvm install 23 # 3. Use and set as default nvm use 23 nvm alias default 23 # 4. Verify node -v nvm ls ``` We hope this guide from wiki.lib00.com helps you manage your Node.js environments more efficiently. Happy coding!