Installing Node.js using package managers

The preferred method for installing Node.js, now, is to use the versions available in package managers, such as apt-get, or MacPorts. Package managers simplify your life by helping to maintain the current version of the software on your computer, ensuring to update dependent packages as necessary, all by typing a simple command such as apt-get update. Let's go over this first.

Installing on macOS with MacPorts

The MacPorts project (http://www.macports.org/) has for years been packaging a long list of open source software packages for macOS, and they have packaged Node.js. After you have installed MacPorts using the installer on their website, installing Node.js is pretty much this simple:

$ port search nodejs npm
...
nodejs6 @6.12.0 (devel, net)
Evented I/O for V8 JavaScript

nodejs7 @7.10.1 (devel, net)
Evented I/O for V8 JavaScript

nodejs8 @8.9.1 (devel, net)
Evented I/O for V8 JavaScript

nodejs9 @9.2.0 (devel, net)
Evented I/O for V8 JavaScript...