Install Node.js on MSL

Install Node.js inside the distribution, so that node, npm and native modules all build and run on Linux.

Install with nvm

nvm installs and switches between Node.js versions per user, without sudo. It’s the best choice when your projects need different versions.

1. Install curl if the distribution doesn’t have it (stock Debian doesn’t):

   $ sudo apt update && sudo apt install curl
   

2. Install nvm with the command from nvm’s README, then open a new shell.

3. Install Node.js:

   $ nvm install --lts          # the current long-term support release
   $ node --version
   $ npm --version
   

nvm ls lists the installed versions, and nvm use <version> switches between them.

Install from the distribution’s packages

If one version is enough, use the package manager. The version is whatever the distribution ships, which is often older than the current release:

$ sudo apt install nodejs npm

Keep projects on the Linux side

Keep projects, and their node_modules, in your Linux home directory rather than under /mnt/macos. Installs and builds are much faster on the distribution’s own disk.

MSL never runs macOS programs from Linux, and never puts macOS directories on Linux’s PATH. npm, node-gyp and similar tools therefore find only Linux toolchains, and native modules are built for Linux even if the project is under /mnt/macos. Don’t share one node_modules between macOS and Linux: install dependencies separately on each side. Native modules also need a compiler in the distribution: on Ubuntu or Debian, sudo apt install build-essential.

Run a dev server

A dev server that listens on localhost in the distribution is reachable at localhost on macOS:

$ npm run dev                    # in the distribution; say it listens on port 3000

Open http://localhost:3000 in a macOS browser. See Networking.

To edit and debug the project, open it in VS Code with the MSL extension. See Get started using VS Code with MSL.