ehmicky
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nvm + execa = nvexeca.
Execa improves child processes execution with a promise interface, cross-platform support, local binaries, interleaved output, and more.
nvexeca is a thin wrapper around Execa to run any file or command using any Node.js version.
Unlike nvm exec
it:
- is run programmatically
- does not need a separate installation step for each Node version
- can run the major release's latest minor/patch version automatically
- does not require Bash
- is installed as a Node module
- works on Windows. No need to run as Administrator.
nvexeca executes a single file or command. It does not change the node
nor npm global binaries. To run a specific Node.js version for an entire
project or shell session, please use nvm,
nvm-windows,
n or nvs
instead.
Example
import nvexeca from 'nvexeca'
const { childProcess, versionRange, version } = await nvexeca('8', 'node', [
'--version',
])
console.log(`Node ${versionRange} (${version})`) // Node 8 (8.16.2)
const { exitCode, stdout, stderr } = await childProcess
console.log(`Exit code: ${exitCode}`) // 0
console.log(stdout) // v8.16.2
Install
npm install nvexeca
node >=18.18.0 must be installed. However the command run by nvexeca can use
any Node version (providing it is compatible with it).
This package is an ES module and must be loaded using
an import or import() statement,
not require(). If TypeScript is used, it must be configured to
output ES modules,
not CommonJS.
To use this as a CLI instead, please check
nve.
Usage
nvexeca(versionRange, command, args?, options?)
Executes command ...args with a specific Node.js versionRange.
Arguments
versionRange
Type: string
This can be:
- any version range such as
12,12.6.0or<12 latest: Latest available Node versionlts: Latest LTS Node versionglobal: Global Node version- Using the home directory
.nvmrcorpackage.json(engines.nodefield) - Some similar files used by other Node.js version managers are also searched for
- If nothing is found, defaults to the current process's Node version
- Using the home directory
local: Current directory's Node version- Using the current directory or parent directories
.nvmrc,package.json(engines.nodefield) or similar files - Defaults to the
globalversion
- Using the current directory or parent directories
- a file path towards a
.nvmrc,package.json(engines.nodefield) or similar files
command
Type: string
File or command to execute. Both global and local binaries can be executed.
Must be compatible with the specific Node versionRange. For example npm is
only compatible with Node >=6.
args
Type: string[]?
Arguments to pass to the command.
Options
Type: object?
All Execa options are available. Please refer to Execa for the list of possible options.
The
preferLocal option
is always true.
The following options are also available.
dry
Type: boolean\
Default: false
Do not execute the command. This can be used to cache the initial Node.js binary download.
progress
Type: boolean\
Default: false
Whether to show a progress bar when the Node binary is downloading.
mirror
Type: string\
Default: https://nodejs.org/dist
Base URL to retrieve Node binaries. Can be overridden (for example
https://npmmirror.com/mirrors/node).
The following environment variables can also be used: NODE_MIRROR,
NVM_NODEJS_ORG_MIRROR, N_NODE_MIRROR or NODIST_NODE_MIRROR.
fetch
Type: boolean\
Default: undefined
The list of available Node.js versions is cached for one hour by default. If the
fetch option is:
true: the cache will not be usedfalse: the cache will be used even if it's older than one hour
arch
Type: string\
Default: process.arch
Node.js binary's CPU architecture. This is useful for example when you're on x64 but would like to run Node.js x32.
All the values from
process.arch are
allowed except mips and mipsel.
cwd
Type: string | URL\
Default: process.cwd()
Current working directory of the child process.
When using the local alias, this
also starts looking for a Node.js version file from this directory.
Return value
Type: Promise<object>
Promise resolved after the Node.js version has been cached locally (if it has
not been cached yet).
If you want to wait for the command to complete as well, you should await
the returned childProcess.
const { childProcess } = await nvexeca('8', 'node', ['--version'])
const { exitCode, stdout, stderr } = await childProcess
childProcess
Type:
ResultPromise?
childProcess instance.
It is also a Promise resolving or rejecting with a
Result.
The Promise should be awaited if you want to wait for the process to complete.
This is undefined when the dry option is true.
versionRange
Type: string
Node.js version passed as input, such as "v10".
version
Type: string
Normalized Node.js version. For example if "v10" was passed as input,
version will be "10.17.0".
command
Type: string
File or command that was executed.
args
Type: string[]
Arguments that were passed to the command.
execaOptions
Type: object
Options that were passed to Execa.
Initial download
The first time nvexeca is run with a new VERSION, the Node binary is
downloaded under the hood. This initially takes few seconds. However subsequent
runs are almost instantaneous.
Native modules
If your code is using native modules, nvexeca works providing:
- they are built with N-API
- the target Node.js version is
>=8.12.0(since N-API was not available or stable before that)
Otherwise the following error message is shown:
Error: The module was compiled against a different Node.js version.
See also
nve:nvexecaas a CLIexeca: Process execution for humansget-node: Download Node.jspreferred-node-version: Get the preferred Node.js version of a project or usernode-version-alias: Resolve Node.js version aliases likelatest,ltsorerbiumnormalize-node-version: Normalize and validate Node.js versionsall-node-versions: List all available Node.js versionsfetch-node-website: Fetch releases on nodejs.orgglobal-cache-dir: Get the global cache directory
Support
For any question, don't hesitate to submit an issue on GitHub.
Everyone is welcome regardless of personal background. We enforce a Code of conduct in order to promote a positive and inclusive environment.
Contributing
This project was made with ❤️. The simplest way to give back is by starring and sharing it online.
If the documentation is unclear or has a typo, please click on the page's Edit
button (pencil icon) and suggest a correction.
If you would like to help us fix a bug or add a new feature, please check our guidelines. Pull requests are welcome!
 ehmicky 💻 🎨 🤔 📖 |
 Nicolas Goudry 📖 |
 Pedro Augusto de Paula Barbosa 💬 |