nvm-pl
A fast, lightweight Perl-based Node.js version manager. Install, switch, and manage multiple Node.js versions with ease.
Features
- Fast - Written in Perl
- Cross-platform - Works on Linux, macOS, and Windows
- Multi-shell support - Bash, Zsh, Cmd, PowerShell
- Seamless switching - Auto-updates shell configuration
- Smart caching - Avoids re-downloading Node.js versions
- Well-tested - 72+ tests with CI/CD on 3 platforms
Quick Start
Installation
# Install from CPAN
sudo cpanm JHALL/NVM-Perl-0.1.1.tar.gz
# Or clone and install manually
git clone https://github.com/jkhall81/nvm-pl.git
cd nvm-pl
cpanm --installdeps .
sudo make install
Basic Usage
# Install a Node.js version
nvm-pl install 25.1.0
# Use a specific version
nvm-pl use 25.1.0
# List installed versions
nvm-pl ls
# List available remote versions
nvm-pl ls-remote
# Show current version
nvm-pl current
# Uninstall a version
nvm-pl uninstall 25.1.0
Supported Shells
- Bash - Updates
~/.bashrc - Zsh - Updates
~/.zshrc(macOS default) - Cmd - Windows Command Prompt
- PowerShell - Windows PowerShell
How It Works
nvm-pl manages Node.js versions in ~/.nvm-pl/install/:
~/.nvm-pl/install/
├── downloads/ # Cached Node.js tarballs
├── versions/ # Installed Node.js versions
│ ├── v25.1.0/
│ ├── v24.11.0/
│ └── current -> v25.1.0/ # Symlink/junction to active version
└── node_index_cache.json # Cached version list
Commands
| Command | Description |
| ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| nvm-pl install <version> | Install a Node.js version |
| nvm-pl use <version> | Switch to a version (updates shell config) |
| nvm-pl ls | List installed versions |
| nvm-pl ls-remote | List available remote versions |
| nvm-pl current | Show active version |
| nvm-pl uninstall <version> | Remove a version |
| nvm-pl --help | Show help message |
| nvm-pl --version | Show version |
Examples
# Install the latest LTS version
nvm-pl install 24.11.0
nvm-pl use 24.11.0
# Install multiple versions
nvm-pl install 25.1.0
nvm-pl install 24.11.0
nvm-pl install 23.10.0
# Switch between versions
nvm-pl use 25.1.0
node --version # v25.1.0
nvm-pl use 24.11.0
node --version # v24.11.0
# See what's installed
nvm-pl ls
# [nvm-pl] Installed versions:
# v24.11.0
# v25.1.0
Migration from Other Version Managers
From nvm
# Remove nvm
rm -rf ~/.nvm
# Remove nvm lines from ~/.bashrc/~/.zshrc
# Install and use nvm-pl as shown above
From system Node.js
# Remove system Node.js (Ubuntu/Debian)
sudo apt remove nodejs npm
# Use nvm-pl exclusively
nvm-pl install 25.1.0
nvm-pl use 25.1.0
Configuration
Create ~/.nvmplrc for custom settings:
install_dir = /custom/path/.nvm-pl
mirror_url = https://nodejs.org/dist
cache_ttl = 86400
auto_use = 1
color_output = 1
Development
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/jkhall81/nvm-pl.git
cd nvm-pl
# Install dependencies
cpanm --installdeps .
# Run tests
prove -lv t/
# Build distribution
perl Makefile.PL
make
make test
make dist
Why nvm-pl?
- Lightweight - No heavy JavaScript toolchain required
- Fast - Perl is optimized for system utilities
- Simple - Clean, readable codebase
- Reliable - Comprehensive test suite
- Cross-platform - True multi-OS support
License
MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.
Contributing
Contributions welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch
- Add tests for your changes
- Ensure all tests pass
- Submit a pull request
Happy Node.js version managing!