---
title: nodejs
description: Activate managed Node.js for dependent tasks.
---

# `nodejs`

`nodejs` is a dependency that provisions the selected official Node.js distribution and puts its executable directory first in `PATH`. Use it when calling `node` directly through a general command runner. It is not a function and takes no arguments.

Load an exact stable `x.y.z` release or release candidate in the form `x.y.z-rc.N`, without a leading `v`. The exact host artifact must exist in Node.js's official release indexes and bundle npm and npx version 7 or newer.

On first use, xx verifies the official SHA-256 checksum and validates Node.js, npm, and npx before storing the distribution under `xx/nodejs/<version>` in the user cache. Valid distributions are reused; invalid ones are replaced. Supported hosts are Windows x86-64 and ARM64, Linux x86-64 and ARM64, and macOS ARM64.

## Examples

### Print the managed Node.js version

```python
load("@nodejs@22.14.0", "nodejs")
load("@os@1", "run")

run(("node", "--version"), deps=[nodejs])
```

### Run a project script directly

```python
load("@nodejs@22.14.0", "nodejs")
load("@os@1", "env_set", "run")

run(
    ("node", "scripts/generate.mjs"),
    deps=[nodejs, env_set("NODE_ENV", "production")],
)
```

Use [`npm_run`](npm_run.md) for scripts declared in project-root `package.json`.

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URL: https://withxx.dev/load.md
Title: Loading Files
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URL: https://withxx.dev/packages/go/go.md
Title: go
Description: Activate a managed Go SDK for dependent tasks.

URL: https://withxx.dev/packages/go/go_binary.md
Title: go_binary
Description: Build a Go command with a managed SDK.

URL: https://withxx.dev/packages/go/go_install.md
Title: go_install
Description: Install a versioned Go command for dependent tasks.

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Title: go_run
Description: Run a versioned Go command with a managed SDK.

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Description: Test Go packages with a managed SDK.

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Title: nodejs
Description: Activate managed Node.js for dependent tasks.

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Title: npm_install
Description: Install project dependencies with managed npm.

URL: https://withxx.dev/packages/nodejs/npm_run.md
Title: npm_run
Description: Run a project package script with managed npm.

URL: https://withxx.dev/packages/nodejs/npx_run.md
Title: npx_run
Description: Run a versioned npm package command with managed npx.

URL: https://withxx.dev/packages/os/env_append.md
Title: env_append
Description: Append an item to a list-like environment variable.

URL: https://withxx.dev/packages/os/env_get.md
Title: env_get
Description: Read a value from a task environment while evaluating Starlark.

URL: https://withxx.dev/packages/os/env_prepend.md
Title: env_prepend
Description: Prepend an item to a list-like environment variable.

URL: https://withxx.dev/packages/os/env_set.md
Title: env_set
Description: Set an environment variable for dependent tasks.

URL: https://withxx.dev/packages/os/env_unset.md
Title: env_unset
Description: Remove an environment variable from dependent tasks.

URL: https://withxx.dev/packages/os/run.md
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Description: Run a command from the project root.

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