Question
Answer and Explanation
The command nvm set default is used within the Node Version Manager (NVM) to specify the default Node.js version that should be used whenever a new terminal or command prompt is opened.
Here’s a breakdown of what it does:
1. Node Version Management:
NVM is a tool that allows you to install and manage multiple versions of Node.js on a single machine. This is incredibly useful when working on projects that require different Node.js versions. Instead of uninstalling and reinstalling every time you switch projects, NVM handles version switching seamlessly.
2. Setting the Default Version:
- When you install multiple Node.js versions with NVM, one of them needs to be designated as the default. This default version is what NVM uses if no specific version is specified for a particular terminal session.
- The nvm set default <version> command is used to set this default version, where <version> is the version you want to be used as the default (e.g., nvm set default 16.15.0).
3. Behavior on New Terminal Sessions:
- Whenever you open a new terminal window, NVM automatically activates the default Node.js version. This makes sure that you're using a consistent version across all of your new terminal sessions, unless you explicitly switch to another one.
4. How to set a default version:
- First, you need to install Node.js versions you want with a command like nvm install 16.15.0 or nvm install 18.12.0, etc.
- Then, you can set the desired version as default with nvm set default <version>, for example nvm set default 18.12.0.
5. Example Scenario:
- If your project relies on version 16.15.0, you'd use nvm install 16.15.0 to install it and then nvm set default 16.15.0 to set it as your default. If another project requires version 18.12.0, you can use nvm use 18.12.0 within that specific terminal session, but new terminal sessions will still default to 16.15.0 until you change it with nvm set default.
In summary, nvm set default configures which Node.js version is automatically used by NVM in all new terminal sessions, helping developers maintain consistency when working with multiple Node.js versions.