Install Node.js without sudo

• Get it
• Build it
• Update it

Prerequisites

I assume you are on a Unix-like host, with a bash shell, wget, tar, an Internet connection and that your $HOME environment variable is defined properly. You will need Python >= 2.6 and all the prerequisites necessary to build Node.js from sources: check out the Installation page on Node.js wiki.

Wanna Node NOW!

For the impatient, just copy the following commands and paste it in your shell prompt

NODEJS_ROOT=${NODEJS_ROOT:-~/nodejs}
cd /tmp
wget -N http://nodejs.org/dist/node-latest.tar.gz && tar xzf node-latest.tar.gz
NODEJS_CURRENT=$(tar tf node-latest.tar.gz|head -1)
mkdir -p $NODEJS_ROOT/$NODEJS_CURRENT
cd $NODEJS_CURRENT
./configure --prefix=$NODEJS_ROOT/$NODEJS_CURRENT && make install
cd $NODEJS_ROOT
rm current 2> /dev/null # Removes current symbolic link, if any
ln -s $NODEJS_CURRENT current
echo Do not forget to edit your environment https://fibo.github.io/2013/01/install-nodejs-without-sudo/#edit-your-environment
echo Happy coding!

Note that, before launching commands, you can set NODEJS_ROOT environment variable to point to your target location otherwise it will default to ~/nodejs.

Installation steps

Situate it

Only once

Choose your local folder, wherever you have enough space and read/write rights. Set a NODEJS_ROOT environment variabile, so you can use it during installation process.

NODEJS_ROOT=~/nodejs # or whatever

Get it

Go to a temporary folder, /tmp for instance and get latest Node.js source.

You will see a node-vX.Y.Z folder, that is node-v0.8.17 right now, containing the latest Node.js sources. The -N flag, will overwrite file and download it only if it is newer.

cd /tmp
wget -N http://nodejs.org/dist/node-latest.tar.gz && tar xzf node-latest.tar.gz

Build it

Now, figure out what is current version so you can point to the target directory (a.k.a. prefix) and compile Node.js sources.

NODEJS_CURRENT=$(tar tf node-latest.tar.gz|head -1)
mkdir -p $NODEJS_ROOT/$NODEJS_CURRENT
cd $NODEJS_CURRENT
./configure --prefix=$NODEJS_ROOT/$NODEJS_CURRENT && make install

Update it

When compilation ends successful, update or create a simbolic link to your current installation. This will make it easier to upgrade to next version.

cd $NODEJS_ROOT
rm current 2> /dev/null # Removes current symbolic link, if any
ln -s $NODEJS_CURRENT current

Edit your environment

Only once

Add permanently NODEJS_ROOT variable to your environment, and add node and npm binaries to your PATH. This is one way to do it:

echo "export NODEJS_ROOT=$NODEJS_ROOT"            >> $HOME/.bash_profile
echo 'export PATH=$NODEJS_ROOT/current/bin:$PATH' >> $HOME/.bash_profile
source $HOME/.bash_profile # reload your env, so you can use node right now