macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
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brew
Install nave with Homebrew
Virtual environments for Node.js. Version 3.5.6 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Virtual environments for Node.js
Project links
Commands and aliases
- nave
history
Project history and usage
nave is Isaac Z. Schlueter's shell-based Node.js version and environment switcher. Its signature idea is to put a chosen Node version and its global npm install space into a subshell, so leaving the shell exits the environment.
Project history
The GitHub repository was created on 2010-05-14, placing nave in the early Node.js tooling era when developers were still sorting out how to install and switch between Node versions. The README emphasizes that nave can be installed as a single shell script, symlinked, installed with npm, or run without editing shell startup files.
Adoption history
nave had real early-ecosystem visibility, helped by Isaac Schlueter's central role in npm and Node tooling, but it became a smaller niche as tools such as nvm, n, asdf, fnm, and Volta absorbed most mainstream version-manager usage. Homebrew analytics consulted on 2026-07-01 listed 59 installs over the preceding 365 days, suggesting maintenance and legacy use rather than broad new adoption.
How it is used
Typical use is `nave use <version>` to enter a subshell, `nave use <name> <version>` for a named environment, `nave install <version>` to install a Node version, and `nave auto` to find a `.naverc` or `.nvmrc` and enter the configured environment. The README documents project-specific profile hooks and environment variables such as `NAVE`, `NAVENAME`, and `NAVEVERSION`.
Why package nerds care
nave is package-nerd history from the pre-standardized Node toolchain era: a small shell program that treats version management as disposable process state rather than a permanent mutation of the user's login shell.
Timeline
- 2010-05-14: GitHub repository created.
- 2010s: nave served as one of the early Node version/environment managers alongside nvm and n.
- 2026-01-23: Repository metadata showed new commits pushed in 2026, while Homebrew packaged stable version 3.5.6.
Related projects
- nvm, n, nodeenv, asdf-nodejs, fnm, Volta, npm, and Node.js distribution archives are the main related tools.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 1 platform targets.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
nave | cli | global executable |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-07-08
manager version3.5.6
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv3.5.6
https://github.com/isaacs/nave
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:nave |
|---|---|
| Version | 3.5.6 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/nave |
| Homepage | https://github.com/isaacs/nave |
| Repository | https://github.com/isaacs/nave |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/isaacs/nave#readme |
| License | BlueOak-1.0.0 |
| Source archive | https://github.com/isaacs/nave/archive/refs/tags/v3.5.6.tar.gz |
| Bottle | available (on all) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | nave |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- av.db category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment