Volta

published: 2025-03-21

tags: Volta,Javascript,nvm

Simply: allows more than one application with different requirements for versions of node to run together on the same machine at the same time

1. winget install Volta.Volta

   or choco install volta -y

2. navigate to code that you need node installed on in terminal and run the following in that directory

   volta install node@14.21.3

   where 14.21.3 is the version of node needed in the 1st directory

3. then navigate to code for the 2nd directory

   volta install node@16.20.2

   where 16.20.2 is the version of node needed in the 2nd directory

   installing a version of node with Volta makes that version available to use in any other application on the machine

   if using the same version again use the pin command instead

note: if VSCode was open during the above install, then it will need to be restarted for the commands below to work

4. The pin command adds a volta entry to package.json and means that whenever you open the workspace volta loads up the specified node (and appropriate npm)

   run volta pin node@16.20.2 to use this version of node in that directory

   by pining the version you save it in your package.json file which makes it available to install with npm i

5. running the application in the VS terminal starts the watch using the correct node version

   Can have both projects watched with different versions at the same time

notes:

• Needed npm clean-install before first run after getting the new node version.
• NVM does not need to be uninstalled for volta to work

Sources:

Guide