How to Set Up Node.js for Command-Line Use using NVM

Node.js is a versatile JavaScript runtime with many uses. It can power modern websites and APIs, run command-line tools, automate tasks, or support development workflows using utilities like Webpack, ESLint or Prettier.

If you're hosting with Kualo and want to use Node.js inside your cPanel account, the good news is that you can. The setup you need depends on how you plan to use Node.js.

There are two main methods available:

• If you're building a web-based Node.js application, such as a site using NextJS, Express, Nuxt or another framework that serves content online, you should use the Node.js Selector in cPanel. This integrates your app with the web server using Phusion Passenger and allows it to run securely over standard web ports like 80 and 443.
• If you're using Node.js for command-line utilities only, such as scripts or build tools that do not need to be accessed via the web, then this guide will walk you through the right approach.

We’ll show you how to install your own version of Node.js using NVM (Node Version Manager) so you're not restricted to the default system version that cPanel provides.

Navigation

• Step 1: Enable SSH Access
• Step 2: Install NVM (Node Version Manager)
• Step 3: Install Node.js via NVM
• Notes and Limitations in Shared Hosting

Step 1: Enable SSH Access

SSH access is required to install Node.js manually. If SSH is not yet enabled on your account, please contact our support team and we’ll be happy to turn it on.

Once enabled, connect using an SSH client like this:

ssh youruser@yourdomain.com -p [port]

Replace [port] with the port number we give you.

Step 2: Install NVM (Node Version Manager)

When you connect via SSH, you may notice that a version of Node.js is already installed:

$ node -v
v16.15.0

This version is globally installed on the server by cPanel. It’s shared across accounts and may be older because it’s tied to server-wide applications. You cannot upgrade this system version—but thanks to CloudLinux, you can install your own copy inside your account using NVM.

NVM allows you to install and manage different versions of Node.js within your hosting account. It works entirely in your user space and doesn't require root access.

To install NVM, you should always use the official installation instructions to ensure you're using the latest supported version.

You can find the latest install command here:

👉 https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm#installing-and-updating

At the time of writing, the command looks like this:

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.7/install.sh | bash

Once the install finishes, you should see confirmation that NVM was installed and configured. The installer automatically adds the required setup lines to your .bashrc file so that when you next connect to SSH, NVM should be available.

However, to start using NVM straight away without reconnecting, you can run these two lines:

export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"
source "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"

Step 3: Install Node.js via NVM

Now that NVM is ready, you can install your desired version of Node.js. To see all available versions you can run:

nvm ls-remote

To install the latest LTS (Long-Term Support) version:

nvm install --lts

Or install a specific version, e.g.:

nvm install 18.19.0

Once installed, the latest LTS version will be activated automatically and set as your default Node.js version.

You can verify it worked:

node -v
npm -v

Many servers now run CloudLinux 8 or 9, which support all modern Node.js versions, but if your account or server is running on an older operating system and you attempt to use a modern version of Node.js, you may see errors.

If this happens, you have three options:

• Use an older version of Node.js, such as 16.x, which is known to work on CloudLinux 7.
• Create a dummy app using the Node.js Selector in cPanel. This allows you to activate the Node.js environment from the command line and run CLI tools using any supported version, even on older operating system versions. (See our separate guide for details.)
• Contact our support team if you require a newer version of Node.js and we can check if a migration to a CloudLinux 8 or 9 server is possible.

We’ll be happy to review your hosting environment and help ensure compatibility with the version you need.

Notes and Limitations in Shared Hosting

While you can now run Node.js from the command line, please be aware of the following limitations in a shared hosting environment:

• Custom ports are not available
  You cannot run applications that bind to ports such as 3000 or 8080, as these are blocked for security reasons. For any web-facing applications, use the Node.js Selector in cPanel, which integrates your app with the web server over standard ports.
• Long-running or background processes are not allowed
  Persistent scripts or daemons will be terminated automatically by the system. If you need recurring tasks, use cron jobs to run scripts on a scheduled basis.
• Resource limits apply
  All processes run within your CloudLinux resource limits, including CPU, memory, and disk I/O. If your scripts exceed these thresholds, they may be throttled or stopped.
• Global NPM packages are tied to the current Node.js version
  If you install a global package using npm install -g, it is only available within the currently active version set by NVM. Switching Node.js versions may require you to reinstall global packages under the new version.