goenv vs nodenv
goenv
github.comnodenv
github.comSide by side
| Figure | goenv | nodenv |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Runtime Version Managers | 7.7 (#10) | 7.6 (#15) |
| Spec score · Development Environment Managers | 7.6 (#29) | 7.5 (#33) |
| License | The repository identifies its license as MIT. | The repository identifies the project as MIT licensed. |
| Purpose | goenv manages Go versions using a model similar to pyenv and rbenv. | nodenv manages Node.js versions so projects can use the correct version on the same machine. |
| Version installation | The installation guide says goenv downloads and places prebuilt Go binaries provided by Google. | Installing Node.js versions requires the separate node-build plugin; the install command is not included out of the box. |
| Version selection | It supports global, per-project, and environment-variable overrides for the Go version. | You can set Node.js versions per project, globally, or for a shell session. |
Plans
In their own words
goenv
goenv manages Go versions on Linux and macOS using a model similar to pyenv and rbenv. It supports global selections, per-project versions, and environment-variable overrides. Shim executables placed in PATH route Go commands to the selected installation, enabling automatic switching and project version pinning. The installation guide says goenv downloads prebuilt Go binaries provided by Google, while new Go versions are added automatically on a daily cron schedule. The project identifies v3 as its current stable version and recommends it for new installations; it says v3 is fully backward compatible with v2. Version 2 receives security patches and critical bug fixes, with support ending on or before December 31, 2028. Setup documentation covers Bash and Zsh, including a .bashrc note for Ubuntu. Installation options include Homebrew and ZPlug for Zsh, and the README includes AWS CodeBuild guidance. goenv is free under the MIT license.