nvm vs pyenv
nvm
github.compyenv
github.comSide by side
| Figure | nvm | pyenv |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Runtime Version Managers | 8.5 (#4) | 7.4 (#19) |
| Spec score · Development Environment Managers | 8.4 (#10) | 7.3 (#39) |
| License | nvm is distributed under the MIT License, permitting use, modification, distribution and sale subject to retaining notices. | The repository identifies pyenv as MIT licensed. |
| Purpose | nvm lets users install and use different Node.js versions from the command line. | pyenv lets users switch between multiple Python versions. |
| Security | The GitHub repository links to a security policy, but the README does not state a security certification or compliance standard. | The v2.8.0 changelog lists a fix for CVE-2026-68939 involving glob character handling in .python-version. |
| Windows support | The original project targets Unix-like systems and Windows WSL; native Windows users are directed to the separate nvm-windows project. | The project says it does not officially support Windows and does not work outside Windows Subsystem for Linux; it recommends the pyenv-win fork for native Windows Python versions. |
Plans
In their own words
nvm
nvm is a free, MIT-licensed command-line tool for installing and managing Node.js versions. It is designed for installation per user and invocation per shell, and works in POSIX-compliant shells including sh, dash, ksh, zsh, and bash. Users can install specific versions, switch between them, set aliases such as a default, and use LTS aliases and commands to select long-term support versions. A project can specify its Node.js version in an.nvmrc file; documented shell snippets can support automatic switching. During installation, nvm can reinstall global npm packages from another installed Node.js version. With the --offline flag, it can install a version that was previously downloaded or cached without network access. The project documents use in Docker, including an example for CI/CD jobs. On Windows, nvm can work through WSL and may work with Git Bash or Cygwin depending on the environment. Fish shell is not supported, and the project points users to community alternatives. The project states that only the latest nvm version is supported.