Alireza Gharib Blog

🌟 How to Fix Node.js Path Issues in VS Code (Step-by-Step Guide)

Are you facing issues with Node.js commands not working in your VS Code terminal? 🤔 This is a common problem, especially if you use nvm (Node Version Manager) to manage multiple versions of Node.js. In this blog, we’ll walk you through a clear, step-by-step process to fix Node.js path issues and ensure a seamless experience in Visual Studio Code. 💻✨

🛠️ Step 1: Check Your Current Node.js Path

Start by verifying which Node.js version is currently active. Run this command in your terminal: 

which node

You might see something like: 

/home/jarvis/.nvm/versions/node/v20.9.0/bin/node

📌 This indicates your Node.js is installed via nvm. However, VS Code might not be using this path. Let’s fix that. 🚀

⚙️ Step 2: Update Your Shell Configuration File

To ensure that nvm works properly in VS Code, you must add its configuration to your shell startup file. Depending on your shell, open one of the following files:

  • For Bash: ~/.bashrc
  • For Zsh: ~/.zshrc
  • For Profile: ~/.profile

Add the following lines at the end of the file: 

export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"
[ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] &&  . "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"  # This loads nvm
[ -s "$NVM_DIR/bash_completion" ] &&  . "$NVM_DIR/bash_completion"  # This loads nvm bash_completion

After saving the file, reload the shell configuration:
source ~/.bashrc Use Bash
source ~/.zshrc if you’re using Zsh
✅ This ensures your shell knows where to find Node.js.

🔄 Step 3: Set a Default Node.js Version

To make sure the correct Node.js version is loaded every time, set a default version in nvm: 

nvm alias default v20.9.0

📌 This ensures that nvm automatically uses Node.js version v20.9.0 in all new terminal sessions. 🏁

🔁 Step 4: Restart VS Code

After updating your shell configuration, restart VS Code to apply the changes. Open the integrated terminal and verify your Node.js version: 

node -v

✨ If everything is set up correctly, you should see the version you configured with nvm. 🎉

🛡️ Step 5: Verify VS Code’s Terminal Settings

Ensure that the VS Code uses the correct shell for its terminal. Here’s how to check:

  1. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P).
  2. Search for Preferences: Open Settings (JSON) and click it.
  3. Add or verify the terminal profile settings. For example: 
 "terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.linux": "bash",
    "terminal.integrated.profiles.linux": {
        "bash": {
            "path": "/bin/bash"
        }
    }

You can edit this file via either the nano 📝 or vim 🖥️ editor. To do so, use one of the following commands in your terminal:

  1. nano ~/.config/Code/User/settings.json ✏️
  2. vim ~/.config/Code/User/settings.json 💻

📝 Step 6: Add Environment Variables in VS Code Settings

If the terminal still doesn’t recognize Node.js, you can explicitly configure environment variables in VS Code:

  1. Open Settings (Ctrl+, or Cmd+,).
  2. Search for terminal.integrated.env.linux.
  3. Add the following configuration: 
"terminal.integrated.env.linux": {
        "NVM_DIR": "/home/jarvis/.nvm",
        "PATH": "/home/jarvis/.nvm/versions/node/v20.9.0/bin:${env:PATH}"
    }

🔑 This ensures that VS Code’s terminal uses the correct nvm path. 🛤️

🚀 Step 7: Test the Configuration

Open a new terminal in VS Code and test the setup by running: 

node -v

🎯 You should now see the correct Node.js version displayed. Success! 🎉

🎉 Conclusion

By following these steps, you can resolve Node.js path issues in VS Code and create a smooth development environment. 🌟 Whether you’re working on a new project or managing multiple Node.js versions, this guide ensures that your tools are properly configured. Happy coding! 💻💡

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