Node.js: N00b Installation Questions - Michael Joseph Kramer: "Should I compile Node.js myself, or use a package manager?
It won’t matter that much once you install a version manager.
I’ve done both, and compiling Node.js yourself isn’t as hard as it sounds, even if you’re not familiar with make, etc. Installing it from a package manager, however, is even easier. While a new Node.js release comes every couple of weeks, and you’ll see plenty of recommendations to compile it yourself so you can just git pull it, you can quickly install newer versions and switch between them using a version manager like n, npm, or nave.
For example, to install the latest version of Node.js and switch to it with n, it’s just:"
