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 NVM::Perl

# 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.

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Add tests for your changes
4. Ensure all tests pass
5. Submit a pull request

Happy Node.js version managing!