Install Node.js on Debian

Method 1: The default APT repository

Step 1: Update the package index

sudo apt update

Step 2: Install Node.js

sudo apt install nodejs -y

Step 3: Install npm (optional, but good)

sudo apt install npm

Step 4: Check the install

node -v
npm -v

The version in the Debian repository can be old.

Method 2: The NodeSource repository

Use this to get a current version.

Step 1: Install curl

sudo apt install curl -y

Step 2: Add the NodeSource repository

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y ca-certificates curl gnupg
sudo mkdir -p /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/gpgkey/nodesource-repo.gpg.key | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/nodesource.gpg
NODE_MAJOR=20
echo "deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/nodesource.gpg] https://deb.nodesource.com/node_$NODE_MAJOR.x nodistro main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nodesource.list

Change NODE_MAJOR to the version you want (20 or 22 are LTS releases).

Step 3: Install Node.js

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install nodejs -y

NodeSource packages include npm.

Step 4: Check the install

node -v
npm -v

Method 3: nvm

For several versions at once, install nvm (see our guide on nvm).

Quick recap

• sudo apt install nodejs npm is the quick way.
• NodeSource gives a current version.
• Check with node -v and npm -v.