nvs

nvs, short for Node Version Switcher, is a lightweight command-line utility created by Jason Ginchereau that enables Windows, macOS and Linux developers to install, manage and instantly swap between multiple Node.js runtimes from a single terminal window. Designed for engineers who maintain legacy applications, test libraries against bleeding-edge releases, or simply want to isolate project-specific engines, the tool downloads pre-built official binaries, stores each runtime in its own sandboxed folder, and rewrites the active PATH so that node, npm and npx commands always point to the chosen version. Typical workflows include switching to an older LTS release before running legacy build scripts, pinning an exact engine reference in CI pipelines, or cycling through nightly builds to verify compatibility without touching system-wide installations. The current stable release is 1.7.1, the fifth public iteration since the project debuted, and it supports both interactive menu selection and one-line commands such as “nvs add 20” or “nvs use 18.17.0”. nvs is catalogued under Developer Tools / Node.js Version Managers, integrates with PowerShell, Bash and Zsh, and can mirror corporate proxies or custom registries when direct access to nodejs.org is restricted. Because it operates entirely within user space, no elevated privileges are required, making it equally safe for personal laptops and locked-down enterprise workstations. The software is available for free on get.nero.com, with downloads provided via trusted Windows package sources (e.g. winget), always delivering the latest version, and supporting batch installation of multiple applications.

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