npm 2,036 , Node's package manager, installs the CLI, the platforms and every plugin. CLI 13 requires Node >=20.17.0 || >=22.9.0. Use a long-term support (LTS) line: on 23 September 2026, Node 24 "Krypton" (24.21.0) is the active LTS, supported until April 2028, and Node 22 "Jod" is in maintenance until April 2027.
On Windows and macOS, run the LTS installer from nodejs.org (https://nodejs.org/en/download 2,131 ), or on Windows type winget 26,463 install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS. On Linux, avoid an old distribution package: Ubuntu 22.04 225 ships Node 12 and Ubuntu 24.04 ships Node 18, both too old for Cordova 13 129 . The version manager nvm 95,199 (github.com/nvm-sh/nvm (https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm 95,199 ), MIT) installs any release in your home folder with curl 3,008 -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.40.8/install.sh 743 | bash followed by nvm install --lts. Open a new terminal and check both tools:
node -v
npm -vv22.22.1 9.2.0
This book's build machine runs its distribution's Node 22; on a new machine, choose 24.