Where Does nvm Install Node Versions?
Where nvm and nvm-windows install Node versions on each OS, and the commands that print your live paths.
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nvm keeps each Node version in its own folder and points your shell at the active one. On macOS and Linux that is $NVM_DIR/versions/node (usually ~/.nvm), with global packages tucked inside each version folder. Switching versions never touches system directories.
Windows is a different tool wearing the same name. nvm-windows installs versions under its root folder (NVM_HOME, often %APPDATA%\nvm) and flips a symlink to select among them. Run nvm root on Windows or echo $NVM_DIR on Unix to stop guessing and read the live paths.
Where nvm stores this, by platform
~/.nvm/versions/node
Each version is a vX.Y.Z subfolder with its own global node_modules. Global installs belong to one version only: reinstall them after nvm install. Project .nvmrc files pin the expected version per repo.
~/.nvm/versions/node
Same layout as macOS. nvm-sh also works under WSL on Windows, where it uses this Linux path rather than the nvm-windows folders.
%APPDATA%\nvm
This is nvm-windows, a separate program from nvm-sh. Versions sit in versioned subfolders of the root shown by nvm root (settings.txt holds root and symlink). The NVM_SYMLINK path is what lands on PATH, not the version folders.
Frequently asked questions
Are nvm-sh and nvm-windows the same tool?
They are separate programs that share a name. nvm-sh runs on macOS and Linux (including WSL) and stores versions under $NVM_DIR. nvm-windows is a different codebase with its own settings.txt and symlink model. Guides for one do not apply to the other.
How does nvm-windows switch versions?
nvm-windows switches versions by retargeting a symlink (NVM_SYMLINK, often C:\Program Files\nodejs) at the chosen version folder. Run nvm root to see the versions directory and nvm list to see which one the symlink currently points at.
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