How to install Node 14 on a M2 Chip Apple Macbook Air? - node.js

Question

I need to work on a project that uses Node v14.17.3. In my previous Macbook with intel chip I had node 16 but in this particular project I ran npm install node#14.17.3 and everything worked fine.
The project has the version specified on package.json file:
"engines": {
"node": "v14.17.3"
},
When I try to install node 14 on the project using my M2 Chip Macbook I get the following error:
command sh -c node installArchSpecificPackage
npm ERR! npm ERR! code ETARGET
npm ERR! npm ERR! notarget No matching version found for node-darwin-arm64#14.17.3.
npm ERR! npm ERR! notarget In most cases you or one of your dependencies are requesting
npm ERR! npm ERR! notarget a package version that doesn't exist.
npm ERR!
npm ERR! npm ERR! A complete log of this run can be found in:
npm ERR! npm ERR! /Users/enzo/.npm/_logs/2023-02-04T02_37_49_054Z-debug-0.log
npm ERR! node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1050
npm ERR! throw err;
npm ERR! ^
npm ERR!
npm ERR! Error: Cannot find module 'node-bin-darwin-arm64/package.json'
npm ERR! Require stack:
npm ERR! - /Users/enzo/Documents/Project/frontend/node_modules/node/installArchSpecificPackage.js
npm ERR! at Module._resolveFilename (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1047:15)
npm ERR! at Function.resolve (node:internal/modules/cjs/helpers:109:19)
npm ERR! at ChildProcess.<anonymous> (/Users/enzo/Documents/TeCambio/frontend/node_modules/node-bin-setup/index.js:19:27)
npm ERR! at ChildProcess.emit (node:events:513:28)
npm ERR! at maybeClose (node:internal/child_process:1091:16)
npm ERR! at ChildProcess._handle.onexit (node:internal/child_process:302:5) {
npm ERR! code: 'MODULE_NOT_FOUND',
npm ERR! requireStack: [
npm ERR! '/Users/enzo/Documents/Project/frontend/node_modules/node/installArchSpecificPackage.js'
npm ERR! ]
npm ERR! }
npm ERR!
npm ERR! Node.js v18.14.0
Is there any solution/workaround for this issue? I was thinking about installing Rosseta and NVM but I'd rather do this with some better solution. Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

I could make it work:
For Apple Computers with M1 and M2 Chip you'll have to use nvm.
Install nvm
Install node version 14.17.3
Create .nvmrc folder at root level of the project you're working on
Run nvm use
Run npm install to install your project dependencies
And that's it... you can use any Node version on your M1 or M2 Macs.
PD: I think you need to have Rosetta installed in order to install NVM on new macs. You can install it simply by running:
usr/sbin/softwareupdate –install-rosetta –agree-to-license
Hope it helps!!! 🙌🏻