What is Volta

Node.js is a popular platform for building server-side applications using JavaScript. However, as new versions of Node.js are released, it can be difficult to manage and switch between different versions. Fortunately, there are several tools available to simplify this process. One such tool is Volta, which can be installed on macOS using Homebrew.

Installing Volta

To install Volta using Homebrew, open your terminal and run the following command:

$ brew install volta

This will download and install Volta on your system.

Installing Node.js with Volta

Once you have installed Volta, you can use it to install the latest version of Node.js by running the following command:

$ volta install node

This will download and install the latest stable version of Node.js on your system.

If you want to install a specific version of Node.js, you can specify the version number using the following command:

$ volta install node@14.17.6

This will download and install version 14.17.6 of Node.js on your system.

Switching Node.js Versions with Volta

One of the key features of Volta is its ability to manage multiple versions of Node.js on the same system. To switch between different versions of Node.js, you can use the following command:

$ volta switch node@14.17.6

This will switch your system to use version 14.17.6 of Node.js.

If you want to switch back to the latest version of Node.js installed on your system, you can use the following command:

$ volta switch node

This will switch your system to use the latest version of Node.js installed with Volta.

Using Volta Pin Command

Volta also provides a pin command which allows you to lock a specific version of a package manager, like npm or yarn. This is particularly useful when working on multiple projects with different package manager requirements. To pin a package manager, use the following command:

$ volta pin npm@7.10.0

This will pin the version of npm to 7.10.0. Now, whenever you run npm commands, Volta will ensure that version 7.10.0 is used, even if you have a newer version installed on your system.

Uninstalling Volta

If you want to uninstall Volta from your system, you can use the following command:

$ brew uninstall volta

This will remove Volta from your system and delete any associated files.

It's worth noting that if you have any Node.js versions installed with Volta, they will remain on your system after uninstalling Volta. To remove these versions, you can use the following command:

$ volta uninstall node@<version>

Replace <version> with the version of Node.js you want to uninstall. Repeat this command for each version of Node.js you want to remove.

Comparison with nodenv, nvm, nodebrew

There are several other popular tools for managing Node.js versions, including nodenv, nvm, and nodebrew. Here's a quick comparison of these tools with Volta:

• nodenv
  nodenv is similar to Volta in that it allows you to manage multiple versions of Node.js on the same system. However, nodenv requires more setup and configuration than Volta, and is therefore more complex to use.

• nvm
  nvm is another popular tool for managing Node.js versions. It is similar to Volta in that it can be used to install and switch between different versions of Node.js. However, nvm requires more configuration and is not as tightly integrated with package managers like npm and yarn.

• nodebrew
  nodebrew is a lightweight tool for managing Node.js versions. It is similar to Volta in that it allows you to install and switch between different versions of Node.js, but it has fewer features than Volta and requires more manual configuration.

References

https://docs.volta.sh/guide/