How to Install Node.js and NPM in Termux

Running JavaScript directly on your phone used to mean clunky browser workarounds or rooting your device. Termux changes that — it turns Android into a real Linux terminal, and once Node.js is installed, your phone becomes a legitimate, pocket-sized dev environment.

Quick answer: if you only want the commands, jump to "Quick Version" below. Everything else — troubleshooting, error fixes, best practices — is there for when something breaks, which it eventually will.

Quick Version: Just Give Me the Commands

Open Termux and run these one by one:

pkg update && pkg upgrade -y
pkg install nodejs -y
node -v
npm -v

This refreshes Termux's package list, installs the latest Node.js (NPM comes bundled in), then prints both version numbers to confirm it worked.

Quick Comparison

Before You Start

• Get Termux from F-Droid or GitHub — the Play Store version is discontinued and its package links are broken.
• Use a stable connection. A weak signal mid-download is the most common cause of a corrupted install.
• Free up ~500MB of storage before you start, so Node, NPM, and your packages have room.
• Grant storage access if you'll work with local files:

termux-setup-storage

Step 1: Update Termux First

This is the step most people skip — and usually why the install breaks later.

pkg update && pkg upgrade -y

pkg update syncs your package list with Termux's servers; pkg upgrade -y brings everything already installed up to date.

Step 2: Pick Current or LTS

Current build — newest features, best for experimenting:

pkg install nodejs -y

LTS build — stable, better for anything you'll keep running:

pkg install nodejs-lts -y

Don't install both — they'll overwrite each other's binaries.

Step 3: Confirm It Installed

node -v
npm -v

Both commands should print a version number with no errors.

Run Your First Script

1. Create a file:

cat > test.js

Paste this in, then press CTRL + D to save:

console.log("Hello from Node.js inside Termux!");
console.log("Server environment is working perfectly.");

2. Run it:

node test.js

Installing Packages with NPM

Start a project:

mkdir my-app && cd my-app
npm init -y

Install a library:

npm install express

Prefer Yarn? Once Node is installed:

pkg install yarn -y
yarn -v

Fixing the "Node Version Error" in Termux

This is the error that frustrates almost everyone eventually — usually from old packages, outdated global modules, or a broken mirror.

Fix 1 — Switch mirrors and reinstall:

termux-change-repo

Pick "All mirrors" in the popup, then:

pkg update && pkg upgrade -y
pkg reinstall nodejs -y

Fix 2 — Clear the NPM cache:

npm cache clean --force
rm -rf ~/.npm
rm -rf node_modules package-lock.json
npm install

Fix 3 — Install build tools for native modules:

pkg install build-essential python binutils -y

Then run npm install again — this fixes most node-gyp compile errors.

Fix 4 — Switch to LTS:

pkg uninstall nodejs
pkg install nodejs-lts -y

Other Errors You Might Run Into

"EACCES: permission denied" when installing global packages — point NPM to a folder you own instead of using sudo (which Termux doesn't really support):

mkdir ~/.npm-global
npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'
export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH

"ENOSPC: no space left on device" — usually Termux's internal partition, not your phone's actual storage:

npm cache clean --force
pkg clean
pkg autoclean

Network timeout during npm install — usually your carrier or Wi-Fi throttling the registry. Try switching between mobile data and Wi-Fi, or a different registry mirror.

A Few Best Practices

• Don't run as root. Termux is sandboxed on purpose.
• Watch your storage. node_modules folders grow fast — run npm cache clean --force now and then.
• Use PM2 for background servers:

npm install -g pm2
pm2 start app.js

Frequently Asked Questions

pkg remove nodejs nodejs-lts -y
rm -rf ~/.npm ~/.node-gyp