Why Choose fnm

fnm (Fast Node Manager) is a Node.js version manager written in Rust. It aims to provide a fast, simple, cross-platform Node.js version management experience.

Core Advantages

⚡ Extreme Performance

fnm is built with Rust, offering the following performance advantages:

• Millisecond Startup - 10x+ faster startup compared to Node.js-based version managers
• Low Memory Footprint - Rust's memory management ensures extremely low resource consumption
• Parallel Downloads - Supports multi-threaded downloads, accelerating Node.js installation

🌍 Cross-Platform Support

fnm provides first-class platform support:

Platform	Support Status	Installation Method
macOS	✅ Full Support	Homebrew, curl script
Windows	✅ Full Support	winget, scoop, chocolatey
Linux	✅ Full Support	curl script, package managers
FreeBSD	✅ Community Support	Build from source

🎯 Version File Support

fnm supports multiple version file formats:

• .node-version - Recommended format
• .nvmrc - Compatible with nvm format
• package.json engines.node field

🔄 Shell Integration

Supports major shells:

• Bash - Most widely used shell
• Zsh - macOS default shell, oh-my-zsh friendly
• Fish - Modern friendly shell
• PowerShell - Windows default shell

Comparison with Other Tools

fnm vs nvm

Feature	fnm	nvm
Language	Rust	Bash
Startup Speed	⚡ Extremely Fast	🐢 Slower
Windows Support	✅ Native	❌ Requires nvm-windows
Version Files	✅ Multiple Formats	✅ .nvmrc
Auto Switching	✅ Built-in	⚠️ Requires Hooks
Parallel Download	✅ Supported	❌ Not Supported

fnm vs volta

Feature	fnm	volta
Language	Rust	Rust
Package Manager Management	❌	✅
Project-Level Version	✅	✅
Global Version	✅	✅
Configuration Complexity	Simple	Medium

Use Cases

👨‍💻 Individual Developers

• Quickly switch Node.js versions
• Automatic version switching when working on multiple projects
• Low resource consumption, doesn't affect development experience

🏢 Team Collaboration

• Unify team Node.js version through .node-version file
• Fast installation of specified versions in CI/CD environments
• Consistent cross-platform experience

🚀 CI/CD Environments

• Extremely fast installation, saves CI time
• Supports mirror sources, accelerates downloads
• Simple command-line interface

Get Started

Ready to start using fnm? Check out the following guides:

• Install fnm - Install fnm on your system
• Install Node.js - Use fnm to install Node.js
• Command Reference - Learn all available commands