Build from Source

Prebuilt packages are recommended unless you have explicit customization needs. Custom builds are not supported. This guide is a courtesy.

Community Build only

This page describes the open-source Inno Setup pipeline. Certified Builds (MSI and Intune packs, ADMX, SBOM, etc.) are not available to build from source.

Prerequisites

Install these tools before you build.

Tool	Notes
Windows 11 x64/arm64	The host can build the other architecture. Pass -Architecture.
Go	Version in cli/src/go.mod (currently 1.26.2).
qgo	Go build wrapper for the CLI. Put qgo on PATH.
Zig	Exact version in shim/.zigversion (currently 0.15.2).
Inno Setup	6.7.1+. Put ISCC.exe on PATH. The setup EXE needs this tool.
go-winres	Embeds Windows resources. The build script runs go install if the tool is missing.
Git	Clone with submodules.
PowerShell	Run .\build\main.ps1 from the repository root.
Network (for -DownloadSync)	Downloads the prebuilt sync.exe from the GitHub release.

Put GOBIN or GOPATH\bin on PATH. The build must find tools that go install writes to that folder.

Get the source

The public repository links the CLI, common libraries, shims, and the installer as Git submodules.

nvm/
├── bin/          # created by the build
├── .dist/        # installer + staged sync release asset
├── build/        # Community Build scripts
├── cli/          # nvm.exe (Go)
├── common/       # shared Go modules
├── shim/         # node/proxy/reshim (Zig)
└── installer/    # Inno Setup

git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/nvm-windows/nvm.git
cd nvm

If the clone has no submodules, run:

git submodule update --init --recursive

Private sync repo

sync.exe (doctor and upgrade) is free to use. sync.exe is not compiled from public source. sync.exe is not part of core nvm operations. sync.exe manages the update and maintenance path for Community Builds and Certified Builds. That path uses Author service URLs. A custom build must supply its own upgrade and maintenance program.

Each community GitHub release has two files per architecture:

• nvm-<version>-<arch>-setup.exe — Inno Setup installer
• nvm-<version>-<arch>-sync.exe — prebuilt sync for a from-source build

Pass -DownloadSync. .\build\main.ps1 then downloads that sync file into bin\utils\sync.exe before packaging.

Build

Select one build procedure below.

Public full build (recommended)

This procedure compiles the CLI and the shims. It downloads the prebuilt sync.exe. It builds the Inno Setup installer.

.\build\main.ps1 -DownloadSync

.\build.ps1 calls the same script.

The download uses the tag v plus the version field in cli/src/manifest.json. The repository is nvm-windows/nvm. The asset name is nvm-<version>-<arch>-sync.exe. That release must already exist. The community release workflow uploads *-setup.exe and *-sync.exe when it publishes.

Public component-only

Build one component:

.\build\main.ps1 -Component Cli
.\build\main.ps1 -Component Shims
.\build\main.ps1 -Component Sync -DownloadSync

Maintainer / CI

If you can read the private sync submodule, omit -DownloadSync. The script then compiles sync from source.

.\build\main.ps1

Common options

# Explicit architecture
.\build\main.ps1 -Architecture amd64 -DownloadSync
.\build\main.ps1 -Architecture arm64 -DownloadSync

# Pin sync to another published release
.\build\main.ps1 -DownloadSync -SyncReleaseTag v2.0.0

# Binaries only (skip Inno Setup)
.\build\main.ps1 -DownloadSync -SkipInstaller

# Custom output directory (default .\bin)
.\build\main.ps1 -DownloadSync -BinRoot D:\out\nvm-bin

Parameter	Values	Purpose
-Architecture	amd64, arm64	Target CPU. Omit this parameter to auto-detect.
-Component	All (default), Cli, Shims, Sync	What to build. The installer requires All.
-DownloadSync	switch	Fetch release *-sync.exe. Do not compile the private sync source.
-SyncReleaseTag	tag	Override the release tag. The default is v plus the CLI manifest version.
-SyncReleaseRepo	owner/repo	Override the download repo. The default is nvm-windows/nvm.
-SkipInstaller	switch	Skip the setup EXE. Use this only with -Component All.
-BinRoot	path	Override the binary output directory.

Exit code 0 means success. A non-zero exit code stops the script at the first failed step.

Output

The build writes these files.

Artifact	Path
CLI	bin\nvm.exe
Node shim	bin\.shim\node.exe
Helpers	bin\utils\proxy.exe, reshim.exe, sync.exe
Installer	.dist\nvm-<version>-<arch>-setup.exe
Staged sync release asset	.dist\nvm-<version>-<arch>-sync.exe

<version> comes from cli/src/manifest.json. Sync worker DLLs are not in the package. The runtime downloads those DLLs from assets.nvm-windows.com when it needs them.

Install what you built

Run the setup EXE as a standard user. Do not run it as an elevated Administrator. Follow the Community Build installer rules.

.\.dist\nvm-<version>-<arch>-setup.exe

Then install Node.js:

nvm install lts

To remove a local build later, follow Uninstall.

Portable/binary-only use

Pass -SkipInstaller to run bin\nvm.exe from a custom layout during development. A production install uses the Inno Setup package. That package registers PATH, preferences, protocol handlers, and uninstall data.

What each component is

Each component has one role.

Component	Language	Public source?	Role
cli	Go	✓	nvm.exe. Install, use, list, config, and cache.
shim	Zig	✓	node.exe shim, proxy.exe, and reshim.exe. See operating modes.
sync	Go	—	Background update and doctor helper (sync.exe). Use -DownloadSync or maintainer source.
installer	Inno Setup	✓	Per-user Community Build setup EXE.

Troubleshooting

Use this table when the build fails.

Symptom	What to check
qgo not found	Install qgo. Put it on PATH.
Wrong Go/Zig version	Match cli/src/go.mod and shim/.zigversion.
Sync source missing / compile fails	Expected on a public clone. Pass -DownloadSync. Or build only -Component Cli or -Component Shims.
-DownloadSync 404	Publish a release that contains nvm-<version>-<arch>-sync.exe. Match cli/src/manifest.json. Or pass -SyncReleaseTag for an existing tag.
Installer step fails	Install Inno Setup 6.7.1+. Put ISCC.exe on PATH. Confirm cli/src/manifest.json has version, appUserModelId, and appId.
go-winres missing	The build script runs go install github.com/tc-hib/go-winres@latest. Put GOPATH\bin on PATH. Run the build again.
Submodule empty/missing code	Run git submodule update --init --recursive. Public clones include cli, common, and shim. The sync submodule stays private.

Community CI and release steps are in build/README.md.

Related

Topic	Doc
Prebuilt installers	Installers
Community Build vs Certified Build	Choosing a Build
Remove an install	Uninstall
Shim vs link mode	Operating Modes