Node.js lets you build servers, command-line tools and build pipelines in JavaScript. Paired with the npm registry — the largest package ecosystem in existence — it underpins most modern web development toolchains.
Why choose Node.js?
Node.js lets you build servers, command-line tools and build pipelines in JavaScript. Paired with the npm registry — the largest package ecosystem in existence — it underpins most modern web development toolchains.
Node.js is open source, so the source code is public, the licence cannot be withdrawn, and no company can move it behind a paywall later. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and it comes from OpenJS Foundation rather than from a repackager — this page sends you to nodejs.org, the publisher's own site, so what you install is the authentic signed build.
Worth comparing before you commit: Node.js vs Visual Studio Code, Node.js vs Git, Node.js vs Python.
Node.js features
- JavaScript on the server
- npm package ecosystem
- Excellent for APIs and tooling
- Long-term support release line
How to download and install Node.js on Windows
- Use the official source. The download button on this page opens nodejs.org, the publisher's own site — that is the safe route. If you would rather we double-check the current link first, ask and we email it. Either way, never take a node.js download from a mirror or a "download manager" portal, which is where bundled adware comes from.
- Pick the build for your system. Node.js runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. On Windows take the 64-bit package unless you are on an old 32-bit installation.
- Run the installer and accept the defaults. OpenJS Foundation ships no bundled extra software with it, so there is nothing to untick.
- Open it once before you need it. Confirming it launches and sees your files or hardware takes a minute now and saves a problem later.
- Keep it updated. Update from inside the program or from nodejs.org — update prompts arriving by email or pop-up are not from the publisher.
Downloading Node.js in India
Node.js is the same software worldwide — there is no separate India build, no regional licence and nothing extra to pay. A node.js download in India gets the identical package everyone else receives, straight from nodejs.org.
We link only to that official source, so a node.js setup download India from this page cannot arrive wrapped in a third-party installer. That matters more than download speed: the adware people blame on "free software" almost always comes from a mirror site, never from the publisher.
Is Node.js really free?
Open Source. Source code is public; free to use, study and modify. You can download and use it without paying, and without creating an account with us.
How to download Node.js safely
Use the request button on this page and we will email you the current link for nodejs.org — the publisher's own website — so you receive the authentic, digitally signed build. We do not host, mirror, patch or repackage this software in any way.
Avoid third-party "download manager" sites offering Node.js. They commonly wrap the genuine installer in their own bundler, which is how adware and browser hijackers get onto a machine that the user believed was clean.
Alternatives to Node.js
Other free developer tools software worth comparing before you decide:
Visual Studio Code
The most widely used code editor in the world.
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Git
The version control system the software industry runs on.
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Python
The most approachable major programming language.
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Notepad++
Fast, lightweight text and code editor for Windows.
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Compare Node.js head-to-head
Frequently asked questions
Is the Node.js download free?
Yes. Node.js is open-source software — free to download, use and keep, with no paid edition, no trial period and no feature held behind a key.
Is Node.js safe to download?
It is, provided it comes from nodejs.org — OpenJS Foundation's own site, which is where the link we send you points. We host no installer of our own and never repackage software. Nearly every "free software gave me a virus" story traces back to a third-party download portal rather than the publisher.
Which platforms does Node.js run on?
Node.js runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Take the build that matches your operating system; on Windows that means the 64-bit package unless you are running an old 32-bit installation.
Do I need an account to download Node.js?
Not with us — FreeSoftwareX has no accounts, no paywall and no download gate. Ask for the link and we email it to you. OpenJS Foundation may ask you to register on their own site, which is their choice rather than ours.
What are the best free alternatives to Node.js?
The closest free developer tools options are Visual Studio Code, Git, Python. Each is listed here with its own licence, platforms and features so you can compare them properly rather than guessing.
Tell us what went wrong — a person reads every message and replies. Corrections to this page are treated as priority fixes.
People also search for
The terms visitors use to find this page. Each one lands here because it describes the same program.
Searches from India
Node.js is identical worldwide — these are search phrasings, not different downloads. Every one of them gets the same official build from nodejs.org.