How to Install Node.js on Debian 12

To install Node.js on Debian 12, you can:

• Use Apt Package Manager
• Add Repository
• Use tar.gz File
• Use NVM

The simplest way to install Node.js on Debian is to use the apt package manager that installs the application from the system repository. The current apt method won’t install the Node.js latest version on Raspberry Pi, but it can be helpful in case someone wants to install Node.js quickly.

To install Node.js from apt package manager, use the following steps:

Step 1: Update Debian Repository

First, open terminal and run the command below to update Debian repository:

Step 2: Install Node.js from Apt Package Manager

After updating the repository, run the following command to directly install Node.js from the apt package manager:

Step 3: Check Node.js Version on Debian

After installation, you can confirm Node.js version on Debian using the command given below:

If you don’t like using Node.js install from apt package manager on Debian, you can remove it from your system through the following command:

You can also add Node.js repository and install the latest version of Node.js on Debian, this can be done by using the following steps:

Step 1: Install Prerequisites for Node.js on Debian

First, use the terminal command given below to install a few prerequisites required for installing Node.js on your Debian system:

Step 2: Create a keyrings Directory

Now, you have to create a directory with the name keyrings in /etc/apt location so that the system can store public keys required for adding the external repository. You can create a keyrings directory on Debian from the following command:

Step 3: Import GPG Key

After creating the keyrings directory, it’s now time to import GPG key to verify and authenticate the integrity of the software packages. You can add GPG key for the external repository on Debian using the following command:

Step 4: Add Node.js Repository to Debian

You have to add Node.js repository and specify the version you want to install on Debian, the following command will add Node.js v21 repository on your Debian system:

If you have installed Node.js on Debian from the external repository and want to remove it from the Debian system, you can simply run the following command:

You can also remove the external repository from Debian by first navigating towards the /etc/apt/sources.list.d location from the following command:

Then use the ls command to check for the repository added to Debian:

After that, run the following command to remove nodesource repository from your Debian system:

You can also install Node.js on Debian by downloading the tar.gz file and perform required configuration steps to complete the installation. The steps provided below will help you install Node.js on Debian from the tar.gz file:

Step 1: Download Node.js tar.gz File on Debian

If you want to remove Node.js on Debian installed from tar.gz file, you can simply use the following command:

If that doesn’t work, you can try removing the Node.js source directory from Debian using the following command:

Node Version Manager or NVM is a package manager that simplifies the installation of Node.js since it allows you to install any Node.js version on your system. The advantage of using NVM to install Node.js is that you can use multiple Node.js versions on your system. To install the Node.js latest version on Debian 12, you can use the following steps to install it through NVM:

Step 1: Download and Run NVM Script on Debian 12

First, you have to download NVM installation script and run it on Debian, this can be done from the following command:

Step 2: Save the Changes

You have to save the changes you made in the above steps using the following command:

Note: You can also restart your terminal in case you don’t want to run the above command.

Step 3: Check List of Node.js Version on Debian

To check the list of different versions of Node.js that can be installed through NVM on Debian 12, you can use the following command:

Scroll down to see various versions of Node.js:

Step 4: Install Node.js on Debian Through NVM

You can now then install Node.js on Debian according to your choice through the following syntax:

Replace version_number with the Node.js version you want to install. Here, I am going with installing the latest version of Node.js on Debian using the following command:

Step 5: Check Node.js Version

To check Node.js is successfully installed through NVM on Debian, you can run the following command:

If you have installed Node.js on Debian 12 from NVM, you can remove it by first deactivating the NVM on your system through the following command:

Then you can run the following command to uninstall Node.js from Debian installed through NVM:

Node.js has emerged as a powerful JavaScript runtime environment used for executing code outside of a browser. You can install Node.js on Debian 12 through apt package manager or by adding an external repository and install it through apt command. You can use the tar.gz file or NVM to install the Node.js latest version on Debian 12. This guide has provided a detailed step-by-step guide to install Node.js on Debian 12 from the aforementioned methods. Following it will help users create Node.js applications, web servers or automate system tasks on Debian.