nvm vs RVM
nvm
github.comRVM
rvm.ioSide by side
| Figure | nvm | RVM |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 0 |
| Spec score · Runtime Version Managers | 8.5 (#4) | 7.4 (#20) |
| Spec score · Development Environment Managers | 8.4 (#10) | 7.3 (#40) |
| Integrations | Documented integrations include Docker, Ansible, zsh plugins, bash completion and optional nvshim shims. | RVM documents integrations including Bundler, Capistrano, Chef, Jenkins, Heroku, Passenger, TeamCity, Vagrant, Vim, and Zsh. |
| Purpose | nvm lets users install and use different Node.js versions from the command line. | RVM is a command-line tool for installing and managing multiple Ruby environments, from interpreters to gem sets. |
| Security | The GitHub repository links to a security policy, but the README does not state a security certification or compliance standard. | RVM says it cryptographically signs releases and the installer script, and verifies signatures during updates. |
| Support | The project states that only the latest nvm version is supported. | RVM is maintained by community volunteers, with support through issue trackers and pull requests. |
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.
RVM
RVM is a command-line tool for installing and managing Ruby versions and gem sets. It can create a self-contained environment for each project, with a selected Ruby version and the gems that project needs. Named gemsets organize gems across Ruby versions, and a shared cache stores one on-disk copy of each downloaded gem. RVM can run test suites, rake tasks, benchmarks, and gem commands against multiple Ruby versions at the same time, supporting consistent setups across development, CI, QA, staging, and production. Its commands cover installing, selecting, upgrading, reinstalling, uninstalling, and removing Ruby versions. Documented integrations include Bundler, Capistrano, Chef, Jenkins, Heroku, and Passenger. RVM supports most UNIX-like systems and Windows through Cygwin or Bash on Ubuntu on Windows. Basic installation needs Bash, curl, gpg2, and GNU tools; git is needed for head Ruby versions. It documents single-user, multi-user, and mixed-mode installs, and recommends single-user mode for an isolated home-directory setup. RVM is free and maintained by community volunteers.