nodist

A Node version manager for the windows folks out there. Inspired by n.

Install

Don't install node beforehand!

Grab the code by unpacking the zip or using git clone git://github.com/marcelklehr/nodist.git.
Place the code in a directory for use. It is not recommended to use Program Files since you will need to run all your commands in administrator mode. Instead use c:/nodist or similar.
When you've got the code, add ...path...\nodist\bin to your path (how?).
Now, run nodist update, which will install the dependencies.

Uninstall

Remove the nodist bin path from your path.
Delete the nodist directory

Usage

Nodist understands basic version patterns. You can use all of the following:

stable
latest
0.8 or 0.8.x or ~0.8
1 or ~1 (this isn't out, though...)
0.6.12

The v in front of a version number is optional.

Install a version

Checks, if the version is installed and downloads it if not.

nodist + v0.8.1

All commands implicitly install the specified version before using it, if it isn't already installed.

Install everything

If you want to install all available versions at once, use this. But be warned, as this may take a while.

nodist + all

List versions

This lists all installed versions and highlights the current active one.

nodist ls

This lists all available node versions.

nodist dist

Remove a version

If you want to remove a version for some reason, use this:

nodist - 0.5.10

Activate a version

Activate the specified version globally.
All subsequent calls of node in any environment will use this version.

nodist 0.8.1

You can also use latest and stable here.

nodist latest

Activate version in current env

Temporarily adds the specified version to the current Path, so all subsequent calls to node in the current terminal environment use that version.
This doesn't have any effects on the globally activated version -- closing the current terminal window will cause nodist to forget the set version.

nodist use v0.7.12

In a batch script, use

call nodist use 0.7.12

Run a specific version

Use this to run a specific node version, regardless of the globally activated one. Everything after -- will be passed to node.

nodist r v0.8.1 -- foo.js -s

Set a proxy to use for fetching the executables

Exceedingly simple: Just set an env var containing the proxy information (can be one of HTTP_PROXY/http_proxy/HTTPS_PROXY/https_proxy).

e.g. set HTTP_PROXY=http://myproxy.com:8213 (better put it into your system global environment)

Installing the x64 versions

To always deal with the 64bit versions of the node you need to define the NODIST_X64 environment variable. e.g. set NODIST_X64=1 (better put it into your system global environment)

All comands

Output of nodist --help:

Usage:

    nodist                          List all installed node versions.
    nodist list
    nodist ls

    nodist dist                     List all available node versions.
    nodist ds

    nodist add <version>            Download the specified node version.
    nodist + <version>

    nodist rm <version>             Uninstall the specified node version.
    nodist - <version>
    
    nodist <version>                Use the specified node version globally
                                    (downloads the executable, if necessary).
    
    nodist use <version>            Use <version> in the current environment only
                                    (usually the current terminal window).

    nodist run <version> -- <file>  Run <file> with the specified node version
    nodist r <version> -- <file>    (downloads the executable, if necessary).

    nodist bin <version>            Get the path to the specified node executable
                                    (downloads the executable, if necessary).
    
    nodist path <version>           Get the path to the specified node version directory
                                    (downloads the executable, if necessary).

    nodist update                   Update nodist's dependencies along with the globally installed npm.
    
    nodist --help                   Display this help

    nodist -v                       Display nodist version

Examples:

    nodist 0.8.1                    Use node v0.8.1 globally
    
    nodist v0.5.10                  Use node v0.5.10 globally
    
    nodist - 0.5.10                 Uninstall node v0.5.10
    
    nodist r v0.8.1 -- foo.js -s    Run `foo.js -s` with node v0.8.1, regardless
                                    of the global version
                                    
    nodist latest                   Use the latest available node version globally
                                    (downloads the executable, if necessary).
                                   
    nodist stable                   Use the latest stable available node version
                                    globally (downloads the executable, if necessary).
                                   
    nodist + all                    Installs *all* available node versions.
                                    (Get yourself a cuppa in the meantime...)

Got ideas? Doesn't work for you? Want to give feedback?

File an issue and tell me what you'd change or add or what doesn't work for you. Every issue is welcome!

Details

nodist stores your node executables in path\to\nodist\v\, so it can see what's installed and activate previously installed versions.
When a version is activated, nodist copies it from nodist\v\<version>\node.exe to nodist\bin\node.exe. You can alter the path where versions are stored, using the NODIST_PREFIX env variable. (The 64bit versions are stored as x64.exe in the appropriate version directory).

nodist comes with the latest npm version and will use this all the time, regardless of the node version you have installed.

As the global node version will be subject to change, nodist comes with its own node version and command line files.

What's with the name?

The name nodist was chosen to emphasise the puristic approach of implementing a node version manager and is not to be confused with the term 'nudist'. It was never my intention to make a connection between these two subjects by giving this program a similar name. What did you think?!

Legal

Changelog

v0.3.8

Add support for x64 versions (thanks to @CycoPH)
Improve performance by cachign version lists

v0.3.7

Fix nodist run and list commands
Allow people to use an http proxy (thanks to @gratex)

v0.3.5

Fix install script. How did that go astray?

v0.3.4

Fix error message if n.checkout fails

v0.3.3

Fix installer (thanks to @Ciantic for reporting)
Fix a bug introduced by npm update

v0.3.2

Update npm on install/update

v0.3.1

Optimized nodist + all
Use a clean npm
Don't bundle dependencies, anymore -- nodist update must be run at install

v0.3.0

Dropped optimist (caused more problems than it solved)
Using node-semver, now, for better usability... (fixes #10)
Allow use of version patterns for every command (fixes #9)
Fix issue #8: Version patterns should require internet access

v0.2.8

Fix use command

v0.2.7

Deploy by copying node.exe, again, this should allow people to use nodist together with nodemon

v0.2.6

Fix a bug, that used to break everything on Win7 x64

v0.2.5

Updated npm to v1.1.48

v0.2.4

Fix nodist update command to work from all drives
Add basic support for MinGW shell (thanks to jdiamond) (update and use commands are still missing)
Fix tests
Allow npm updates with npm u npm -g
updated npm

v0.2.3

Install latest stable as default version
Add update command
Updated npm

joeeames / nodist