Node.js Setup

chro requires Node.js 18 or later as a prerequisite for running AI coding tools like Claude Code and OpenAI Codex.

Check Existing Installation

First, check if Node.js is already installed:

node -v
npm -v

If both commands return version numbers (Node.js 18+), you’re ready to proceed. Otherwise, follow the installation instructions below.

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macOS

Option 1: Homebrew (Recommended)

Homebrew is the most popular package manager for macOS.

1. Install Homebrew (if not already installed):

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

2. Install Node.js:

brew install node@22

3. Verify installation:

node -v  # Should show v22.x.x
npm -v   # Should show 10.x.x or later

Option 2: fnm (Fast Node Manager)

fnm allows you to manage multiple Node.js versions easily.

1. Install fnm via Homebrew:

brew install fnm

2. Add fnm to your shell (add to ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc):

eval "$(fnm env --use-on-cd)"

3. Restart your terminal or run:

source ~/.zshrc  # or source ~/.bashrc

4. Install and use Node.js 22:

fnm install 22
fnm use 22
fnm default 22

Option 3: Official Installer

Download the macOS installer from the official Node.js website.

1. Download the LTS version (recommended) or Current version
2. Open the .pkg file and follow the installation wizard
3. Restart your terminal after installation

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Windows

Option 1: winget (Recommended)

winget is the official Windows Package Manager, pre-installed on Windows 11 and available for Windows 10.

1. Open PowerShell or Terminal

2. Install Node.js:

winget install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS

Note: If prompted by UAC (User Account Control), click “Yes” to allow the installation.

3. Restart your terminal (important!)

4. Verify installation:

node -v
npm -v

Option 2: Official Installer

Download the Windows installer from the official Node.js website.

1. Download the LTS version .msi installer
2. Run the installer and follow the wizard
3. Ensure “Add to PATH” is checked during installation
4. Restart your terminal after installation

Option 3: nvm-windows

nvm-windows lets you manage multiple Node.js versions on Windows.

1. Download nvm-windows:

Download the latest installer from the releases page.

2. Install nvm-windows:

Run the installer and follow the prompts.

3. Install and use Node.js:

nvm install 22
nvm use 22

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Verify Installation

After installation, verify everything is working:

# Check Node.js version (should be 18+)
node -v

# Check npm version
npm -v

# Test npm by checking global packages location
npm root -g

Troubleshooting

”command not found: node” (macOS/Linux)

• Ensure Node.js is in your PATH
• Restart your terminal
• If using fnm, make sure you’ve added the eval line to your shell config

”node is not recognized” (Windows)

• Restart your terminal/PowerShell
• Check if Node.js is in your system PATH:
  • Open System Properties > Advanced > Environment Variables
  • Look for Node.js in the Path variable

npm permission errors (macOS/Linux)

If you see EACCES permission errors when installing global packages:

# Create a directory for global packages
mkdir ~/.npm-global

# Configure npm to use it
npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'

# Add to PATH in ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc
export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH

Proxy issues (Corporate networks)

If you’re behind a corporate proxy:

npm config set proxy http://proxy.company.com:8080
npm config set https-proxy http://proxy.company.com:8080

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Next Steps

Once Node.js is installed, proceed to:

• Git & GitHub Setup - Set up version control
• AI Coding Tools Setup - Install Claude Code or OpenAI Codex