nvm vs Volta
nvm
github.comVolta
volta.shSide by side
| Figure | nvm | Volta |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 0 |
| Spec score · Runtime Version Managers | 8.5 (#4) | 6.7 (#28) |
| Automatic switching | Automatic directory switching is documented as user-added bash or zsh hooks rather than built into the core command. | Volta detects the current project and routes tools to the versions configured for it. |
| Integrations | Documented integrations include Docker, Ansible, zsh plugins, bash completion and optional nvshim shims. | Volta provides hooks to use alternate download sources, including npm Enterprise, for tools such as Node, npm, and Yarn. |
| License | nvm is distributed under the MIT License, permitting use, modification, distribution and sale subject to retaining notices. | Volta is licensed under the BSD 2-clause license. |
| Purpose | nvm lets users install and use different Node.js versions from the command line. | Volta manages JavaScript command-line tools such as Node, npm, Yarn, and executables shipped with JavaScript packages. |
| Support | The project states that only the latest nvm version is supported. | The project welcomes GitHub issues and pull requests and uses Discord for community discussion. |
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.