nodejs vs node on ubuntu 12.04

I installed nodejs on ubuntu from instructions given here
When I write node –version in the terminal I see this :
-bash: /usr/sbin/node: No such file or directory
I can see node in the /usr/sbin/ directory, though.
Writing npm –version shows 1.3.5
Writing nodejs –version shows v0.10.15
Also, I can see node in the /usr/bin/ directory.
So, how do I get node working?
Also, If I use zsh instead of bash, then node command works.

Solutions/Answers:

Solution 1:

You need to manually create a symlink /usr/bin/node. Shortcut for bash compatible shells:

sudo ln -s `which nodejs` /usr/bin/node

Or if you use non-standard shells, just hardcode the path you find with which nodejs:

sudo ln -s /usr/bin/nodejs /usr/bin/node

Later edit

I found this explanation in the link you posted

There is a naming conflict with the node package (Amateur Packet Radio Node Program), and the nodejs binary has been renamed from node to nodejs. You’ll need to symlink /usr/bin/node to /usr/bin/nodejs or you could uninstall the Amateur Packet Radio Node Program to avoid that conflict.

Later later edit

It’s been a while since I answered this. Although the solution I posted up here worked for me several times, users have reported a few more solutions within the comments:

From @user229115

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/node node /usr/bin/nodejs 10

From AskUbuntu (user leftium)

sudo apt-get --purge remove node
sudo apt-get --purge remove nodejs
sudo apt-get install nodejs

Solution 2:

I think this is it:

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/node node /usr/bin/nodejs 10

Using Debian alternatives.

Solution 3:

Apparently the solution differs between Ubuntu versions. Following worked for me on Ubuntu 13.10:

sudo apt-get install nodejs-legacy

HTH

Edit: Rule of thumb:

If you have installed nodejs but are missing the /usr/bin/node binary, then also install nodejs-legacy. This just creates the missing softlink.

According to my tests, Ubuntu 17.10 and above already have the compatibility-softlink /usr/bin/node in place after nodejs is installed, so nodejs-legacy is missing from these releases as it is no more needed.

Solution 4:

I have the same issue in Ubuntu 14.04.

I have installed “nodejs” and it’s working, but only if I’m use command “nodejs”. If I try to use “node” nothing happens.

I’m fixed this problem in next way:

Install nodejs-legacy
```
sudo apt-get install nodejs-legacy
```

After that, when I type “node” in command line I’m get an error message “/usr/sbin/node: No such file or directory”

Second, what I did, it’s a symbolic link on “nodejs”:
```
sudo ln -s /usr/bin/nodejs /usr/sbin/node
```

Solution 5:

This happened to me as well.

node -v => 0.10.2
nodejs -v => 5.5.0

The issue was that I had installed node from source some time ago. Running

which node

always pointed to this local installation. Also,

echo NODE_PATH

pointed to the local installation.

deleting the directory with the source install didn’t help. It just broke the node command. In the end, unsetting the NODE_PATH environmental variable and purging then reinstalling nodejs did the trick.

unset NODE_PATH
sudo apt-get --purge remove nodejs
sudo apt-get install nodejs

After this,

node -v => 5.5.0

and npm install started to work for packages depending on Node => 5.0.

Solution 6:

I am new to all this, but for me a simple alias worked:

alias node='env NODE_NO_READLINE=1 rlwrap nodejs'

at least for running things directly in bash and executing .js files.