fnm
ELI5 — The Vibe Check
fnm (Fast Node Manager) is the speedy alternative to nvm — it manages Node.js versions but doesn't make you wait 3 seconds every time you open a terminal. Written in Rust, it switches Node versions so fast you won't even notice. It reads .nvmrc and .node-version files, so it's a drop-in replacement for nvm without the shell slowdown.
Real Talk
fnm (Fast Node Manager) is a cross-platform Node.js version manager written in Rust. It features near-instant shell startup (no shell function overhead), automatic version switching via .nvmrc/.node-version files, and works on macOS, Linux, and Windows. It's significantly faster than nvm's shell-based approach.
When You'll Hear This
"Switching from nvm to fnm cut 2 seconds off every terminal startup." / "fnm reads the same .nvmrc file as nvm — the migration is literally one install command."
Related Terms
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