nvm use: Usage, Options & Common CI Errors

nvm use switches which installed Node.js version is active in the current shell.

nvm use selects an already-installed Node version for the current shell session. In CI the trap is that each step is a fresh shell, so a selection in one step does not carry to the next.

What it does

nvm use <version> points node/npm at an installed version by adjusting PATH in the current shell. It only affects that shell - it does not persist across steps or jobs. nvm use with no argument reads .nvmrc. The version must already be installed (nvm install) or nvm use errors.

Common usage

Terminal

. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"                              # source nvm in this shell
nvm use 20
nvm use                                          # use the .nvmrc version
nvm use --lts
nvm alias default 20                              # make 20 the default shell version

Common errors in CI

"N/A: version \"20\" is not yet installed. You need to run \"nvm install 20\"" - nvm use only selects installed versions. The subtler failure: nvm use in step A, then step B still runs the system node - because each CI step is a new shell that did not source nvm or call nvm use. Either set a default (nvm alias default <v>) and re-source nvm per step, or pin Node via the platform's setup-node action. ".nvmrc" with a bare version line is required for nvm use with no arg.

Options

Item	What it does
<version>	Switch to an installed version
(no arg)	Use the version in .nvmrc
--lts	Use the latest installed LTS
alias default <v>	Set the default version for new shells