Node.js Installation

Claude Code, Codex CLI, OpenCode, and other AI coding tools all require Node.js to run. If you haven't installed it yet, complete this step before continuing.

Windows

Option 1: Official Installer (Recommended)

1. Visit nodejs.org and download the LTS version

2. Double-click the installer and follow the prompts

The installer will ask whether to install additional build tools (such as Python, Visual Studio Build Tools). Press any key to continue — these tools are needed when using npm to install native modules.

3. Restart your terminal after installation

macOS

Option 1: Homebrew (Recommended)

brew install node

If you don't have Homebrew installed, run this first:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Option 2: Official Installer

Visit nodejs.org and download the macOS LTS installer, then double-click to install.

Linux

Ubuntu / Debian

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

CentOS / RHEL

curl -fsSL https://rpm.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo bash -
sudo yum install -y nodejs

Verify Installation

After installation, run the following commands to confirm Node.js and npm are working properly:

node --version
npm --version

Both commands should output version numbers. Node.js 20 or higher is recommended (Node.js 20 is the current LTS version).

npm Registry Acceleration (China Users)

Switch command:

npm config set registry https://registry.npmmirror.com

Verify the switch:

npm config get registry

To revert to the official registry:

npm config set registry https://registry.npmjs.org

Common Issue: Windows PowerShell Execution Policy Error

This is a very common error in Windows PowerShell. It occurs because Windows' default security policy (execution policy) prohibits running scripts, preventing the npm.ps1 script file from executing.

Here's how to resolve this issue permanently:

Solution: Modify PowerShell Execution Policy

You can allow local scripts to run by modifying the current user's execution policy. This is completely safe and permanently solves issues with running npm and other Node.js global modules.

1. Run PowerShell as Administrator

While modifying current user permissions sometimes doesn't require admin rights, to ensure success:

• Right-click the Start menu (or press Win + X).
• Select Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Terminal (Admin).

2. Enter and execute the following command

Copy and paste the following code into PowerShell, then press Enter:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

3. Confirm the change

The system will display a lengthy prompt about the execution policy change and ask whether you want to proceed.

• Type Y or A, then press Enter to confirm.

4. Verify it worked

Re-enter your previous command to test:

npm --version

If it successfully outputs the npm version number (e.g., 10.x.x), the error is resolved!

Next Steps

Once Node.js is installed, you can set up the following AI coding tools:

• Claude Code — terminal-based AI coding assistant
• Codex CLI — OpenAI's terminal coding agent
• OpenCode — open-source terminal AI coding assistant
• Cursor — AI code editor built on VS Code, with a Chat Completions API reference for OpenAI-compatible clients