Installing Node.js on Fedora: 22 LTS and the npm global-prefix trap

Node.js on Fedora comes from the distribution repositories. The version follows Fedora rather than upstream — which is exactly why it is stable.

Install

sudo dnf install nodejs npm

Measured on F45:

nodejs-22.23.1-4.fc45.x86_64

Verify:

node -v
npm -v

v22.23.1
10.9.8

One line to confirm V8 as well:

node -e "console.log(process.versions.v8)"

12.4.254.21-node.56

Where the npm global prefix points (important)

npm config get prefix

/usr/local

Which means npm install -g writes to /usr/local/lib/node_modules and needs sudo:

sudo npm install -g pnpm

Caution

sudo npm install -g runs a package’s install scripts as root. The safer habit is moving the global directory into your home, below.

Moving the global directory into your home

mkdir -p ~/.npm-global
npm config set prefix ~/.npm-global
echo 'export PATH=$HOME/.npm-global/bin:$PATH' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Now npm install -g needs no sudo:

npm install -g pnpm
pnpm -v

This writes ~/.npmrc; remember to back it up alongside your other dotfiles.

Running a project

mkdir -p ~/hello && cd ~/hello
npm init -y
node -e "console.log('node', process.version)"

Install a dependency and start a server:

npm install express
cat > server.js <<'EOF'
const express = require('express');
const app = express();
app.get('/', (req, res) => res.send('ok from ' + process.version));
app.listen(3000, () => console.log('listening on 3000'));
EOF
node server.js

In another terminal:

curl -s http://127.0.0.1:3000/

Note

If port 3000 is unreachable from outside, check whether firewalld allows it; on the SELinux side the port must be in http_port_t (see SELinux).

Multiple versions: Fedora ships 22 / 24 / 26 natively

This is the most overlooked part of Node on Fedora — you do not need nvm; the repositories carry several Nodes side by side:

sudo dnf install nodejs24 nodejs26

Versioned executables appear in /usr/bin:

ls /usr/bin | grep -E "^node"

node
node-22
node-24
node-26

Each reports its own version:

node -v      # v22.23.1   <- default
node-24 -v   # v24.18.0
node-26 -v   # v26.3.1

npm follows the same pattern:

ls /usr/bin | grep -E "^npm"

npm
npm-22
npm-24
npm-26

They share one global prefix (/usr/local), but npm-24 install -g resolves to the Node 24 runtime.

Package	Binaries provided	Measured version
nodejs (default)	node, node-22	v22.23.1
nodejs24	node-24	v24.18.0
nodejs26	node-26	v26.3.1

Tip

To run a project on a specific version, call the binary directly or bake it into project scripts:

node-24 server.js
npm-24 ci

Unlike nvm this needs no shell initialisation, so it also works inside systemd units and CI scripts.

When nvm is still the right answer: you need a non-major version (say 16.20.2), you switch often and dislike remembering suffixes, or you need an EOL release (14/16). Fedora only packages the currently supported majors.

Needing a different Node version

Fedora packages exactly one version (22 on F45). For 20 or 18:

Method	Fits
versioned packages such as dnf install nodejs22	easiest when the repo offers one
containers: podman run --rm node:20 node -v	builds and tests
nvm	switching versions on a dev machine

dnf search nodejs | grep -E "^nodejs[0-9]+"   # look for versioned packages
podman run --rm node:20-alpine node -v

Avoid third-party repositories (NodeSource and friends) that overwrite the system nodejs — the next dnf upgrade tends to produce file conflicts.

Common traps

Symptom	Cause
npm install -g fails with EACCES	the global prefix /usr/local belongs to root; change the prefix or use sudo
command not found: node	installed but the shell has not reloaded PATH
a project needs a newer Node	repository version lags; use a container or nvm
globally installed package has no command	prefix changed but ~/.npm-global/bin missing from PATH

Related pages

• Toolchain and multiple versions — beyond Node
• Containers and rootless — pinning a Node version
• firewalld — opening service ports
• Repositories and dnf5 — package basics
• Official: Node.js