After years of using NVM (Node Version Manager), I recently switched to FNM (Fast Node Manager). Here’s why this was a worthwhile change:
- Performance: FNM is significantly faster, which is immediately noticeable when launching a terminal session.
- Installation simplicity: Unlike NVM, which has unofficial Homebrew support, FNM installs cleanly through
brewwithout any compatibility issues. - Easy configuration: Setting up FNM requires just one line in your ZSH config file:
eval "$(fnm env --use-on-cd --shell zsh)"- Smart auto-switching: With this configuration, FNM automatically detects and switches to the appropriate Node version for each project. It even prompts you to install missing Node versions when needed.
- Familiar workflow: FNM maintains compatibility with NVM’s core commands, meaning there’s virtually no learning curve for NVM users.
FNM delivers all the functionality I need from a Node version manager while being faster and more user-friendly.