N: Cannot switch node versions?

Created on 13 Oct 2016 · 14Comments · Source: tj/n

$> node -v
v5.7.1
$> sudo n latest
     install : node-v6.8.0
       mkdir : /usr/local/n/versions/node/6.8.0
       fetch : https://nodejs.org/dist/v6.8.0/node-v6.8.0-linux-x64.tar.gz
######################################################################## 100,0%
   installed : v6.8.0
$> node -v
v5.7.1
$> n
ο node/6.8.0
$> node -v
v5.7.1

What do I do wrong? How can I switch to node v6 ?

Source

khelle

👍20

Most helpful comment

I'm having the same issue on Ubuntu 16.04.
PS. fixed: closing and reopening the shell I've found the new node version.

roccomuso on 10 Jan 2017

👍69 🎉23 😄21 🚀13 ❤12 👀4 👎1

All 14 comments

@khelle What does which -a node give you?

pborenstein on 14 Oct 2016

I fixed the problem by manually removing the symlink and creating a new pointing to the n node's location.

khelle on 15 Oct 2016

same error

$ which -a node
/usr/local/bin/node
/usr/bin/node

hotrush on 19 Oct 2016

@khelle can you explain in more detail?

i have such a symlink:

ls -la /usr/local/bin

 n -> ../lib/node_modules/n/bin/n

so you removed that and replaced it with something pointed to the node binary, not the n script?

dcsan on 19 Dec 2016

I'm having the same issue on Ubuntu 16.04.
PS. fixed: closing and reopening the shell I've found the new node version.

roccomuso on 10 Jan 2017

👍69 🎉23 😄21 🚀13 ❤12 👀4 👎1

I'm using arm system after ssh reconnect solved.

EasonWang01 on 10 Mar 2017

👍1

@roccomuso thanks that helps

RoanDev on 22 May 2017

Same - opening a new shell fixed this issue. Running Ubuntu Mate 16.04 on Raspberry Pi 3.

luisdelarosa on 21 Oct 2017

👍5

It might help to remove the pre-installed version of node:
sudo apt remove nodejs

guido4000 on 24 Mar 2018

Adding sudo works for me. (on ubuntu 16.04)

sudo n 10.4.0 etc.

shaharyar123 on 12 Feb 2019

👍6 🎉3 🚀2 ❤2

I have added additional logging in v5.0.0 which should make PATH issues easier to identify.

Leaving this issue open for now since it includes the suggestion to reopen shell which has helped a lot of people: https://github.com/tj/n/issues/381#issuecomment-271722736

shadowspawn on 20 Jul 2019

Much improved error messages in v6: https://github.com/tj/n/releases/tag/v6.0.0

shadowspawn on 16 Aug 2019

n v6.1.2 has additional output for the situation when node command location changes, and the old location may be remembered by the current shell.

e.g.

Note: the node command changed location and the old location may be remembered in your current shell.
         old : /usr/bin/node
         new : /usr/local/bin/node
To reset the command location hash either start a new shell, or execute PATH="$PATH"

(Longer transcript: https://github.com/tj/n/issues/588#issuecomment-554601529)

shadowspawn on 16 Nov 2019

In my case, I forgot I also installed nvm.
I use which -a node found out
and then I just nvm use 12.11.0