Node.js Dependency & Version Management with nvm, npm ci and Registries

Working with multiple Node.js projects often means switching between different Node versions, reinstalling dependencies and remembering various nvm and npm commands. This becomes especially painful when moving between legacy and modern codebases. This article provides a practical overview of my most common Node.js workflow tasks: switching Node versions using nvm, cleaning and reinstalling dependencies and using the correct npm installation strategy for local development and CI/CD environments. If you regularly jump between projects and forget the exact commands, this guide provides a simple, repeatable workflow you can reuse every day. Contents Switching to a Different Node Version Check the required version .nvmrc approach Clean and Reinstall Dependencies Installation Strategy Comparison Reinstall with locked versions Full reinstall Corrupted npm Cache Change registry Switching to a Different Node Version First, determine which Node version the project requires. Check the required ve