# Managing Node Versions

Managing node versions is important for ensuring that different projects can run with the appropriate version of Node.JS. 

Classically I used two different tools to manage node versions:

* **NVM** - a set of bash scripts for MacOS and Linux and
* **NVM-Windows** - a command line utility for Windows.

This quickly grew annoying as they operated slightly differently, and on Windows I like to use multiple accounts to split work and personal projects, which was not compatible with NVM-Windows.

## The Solution: mise-en-place ( or just "mise" )

Mise is a cross-platform tool for managing a wide range of development tools, including Node.JS. Being cross-platform, it works the same way on both Windows and Unix-based systems, making it easier to manage node versions across different environments. It also allows for per-project node versions, which is a great feature for ensuring that each project uses the correct version of Node.JS without affecting other projects.

### Installation

Install Mise using your package manager of choice depending on your operating system:

```bash
brew install mise # For MacOS
winget install jdx.mise # For Windows
sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:jdxcode/mise && sudo apt update -y && sudo apt install -y mise # For Ubuntu/Debian
```

### Activation 

Mise needs to be activated in your shell configuration file. Add the following line to your `.bashrc`, `.zshrc`, or equivalent shell configuration file:

```bash
echo 'eval "$(mise activate zsh)"' >> ~/.zshrc # For Zsh
echo 'eval "$(mise activate bash)"' >> ~/.bashrc # For Bash
```

or windows:

```powershell
# create profile if it doesn't already exist
if (-not (Test-Path $profile)) { New-Item $profile -Force }
# open the profile
Invoke-Item $profile

# add this line
(&mise activate pwsh) | Out-String | Invoke-Expression
```

### Usage

Install Node globally:

```bash
mise use --global node@24
```

Install Node for a specific project:

```bash
cd my-project
mise use node@18
```

When installed in a project Mise will generate a project file in the directory, meaning other users can simply run `mise use` to get the correct version of Node.JS for that project.