Install node and npm with nvm using Docker.

build.sh

#!/usr/bin/env bash

# confirm docker daemon is running and connected
docker version

# build the image based on the Dockerfile and name it `nvm`
docker build -t nvm .

# confirm image is present
docker images

# enter container terminal
docker run -it nvm bash

Dockerfile

# set the base image to Debian
# https://hub.docker.com/_/debian/
FROM debian:latest

# replace shell with bash so we can source files
RUN rm /bin/sh && ln -s /bin/bash /bin/sh

# update the repository sources list
# and install dependencies
RUN apt-get update \
    && apt-get install -y curl \
    && apt-get -y autoclean

# nvm environment variables
ENV NVM_DIR /usr/local/nvm
ENV NODE_VERSION 4.4.7

# install nvm
# https://github.com/creationix/nvm#install-script
RUN curl --silent -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/creationix/nvm/v0.31.2/install.sh | bash

# install node and npm
RUN source $NVM_DIR/nvm.sh \
    && nvm install $NODE_VERSION \
    && nvm alias default $NODE_VERSION \
    && nvm use default

# add node and npm to path so the commands are available
ENV NODE_PATH $NVM_DIR/v$NODE_VERSION/lib/node_modules
ENV PATH $NVM_DIR/versions/node/v$NODE_VERSION/bin:$PATH

# confirm installation
RUN node -v
RUN npm -v

There is apparently an offical docker container for NVM. Here is the docker file link

I have created a Dockerfile for nvm v0.39.1 (latest today) and Ubuntu 22.04 by copying and pasting commands from the official Dockerfile into my custom container's Dockerfile

FROM ubuntu:22.04
# removed docker command for my stuff


USER ${user}

# we need a .bashrc  for install.sh to work
RUN touch ~/.bashrc && chmod +x ~/.bashrc

RUN curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.1/install.sh | bash ;

# this node version is old but I need it for my use case
ENV NODE_VERSION=12.16.1

# relevant code I pasted from above link
# nvm
RUN echo 'export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"'                                       >> "$HOME/.bashrc"
RUN echo '[ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && . "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"  # This loads nvm' >> "$HOME/.bashrc"
RUN echo '[ -s "$NVM_DIR/bash_completion" ] && . "$NVM_DIR/bash_completion" # This loads nvm bash_completion' >> "$HOME/.bashrc"


# nodejs and tools
RUN bash -c 'source $HOME/.nvm/nvm.sh   && \
    nvm install $NODE_VERSION && nvm use $NODE_VERSION && nvm alias default $NODE_VERSION       && \
    npm install -g doctoc urchin eclint dockerfile_lint && \
    npm install --prefix "$HOME/.nvm/" && \
    npm install --global gulp-cli';
 # I added gulp for my use case 

# then  the rest of the dockerfile
WORKDIR /home/${user}

# add your entrypoint
ENTRYPOINT ["path-to-my-shell-file"]

How to install nvm in Docker / devcontainer

FROM mcr.microsoft.com/vscode/devcontainers/cpp:ubuntu-20.04

RUN mkdir /usr/local/nvm
ENV NVM_DIR /usr/local/nvm
ENV NODE_VERSION 14.18.1
RUN curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.1/install.sh | bash \
    && . $NVM_DIR/nvm.sh \
    && nvm install $NODE_VERSION \
    && nvm alias default $NODE_VERSION \
    && nvm use default

ENV NODE_PATH $NVM_DIR/v$NODE_VERSION/lib/node_modules
ENV PATH $NVM_DIR/versions/node/v$NODE_VERSION/bin:$PATH

it worked for me

grinsteindavid commented 7 days ago •
How to install nvm in Docker / devcontainer
FROM mcr.microsoft.com/vscode/devcontainers/cpp:ubuntu-20.04
RUN mkdir /usr/local/nvm
ENV NVM_DIR /usr/local/nvm
ENV NODE_VERSION 14.18.1
RUN curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.1/install.sh | bash
&& . $NVM_DIR/nvm.sh
&& nvm install $NODE_VERSION
&& nvm alias default $NODE_VERSION
&& nvm use default
ENV NODE_PATH $NVM_DIR/v$NODE_VERSION/lib/node_modules
ENV PATH $NVM_DIR/versions/node/v$NODE_VERSION/bin:$PATH
it worked for me

+1 Thanks

How to install nvm in Docker / devcontainer

FROM mcr.microsoft.com/vscode/devcontainers/cpp:ubuntu-20.04

RUN mkdir /usr/local/nvm
ENV NVM_DIR /usr/local/nvm
ENV NODE_VERSION 14.18.1
RUN curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.1/install.sh | bash \
    && . $NVM_DIR/nvm.sh \
    && nvm install $NODE_VERSION \
    && nvm alias default $NODE_VERSION \
    && nvm use default

ENV NODE_PATH $NVM_DIR/v$NODE_VERSION/lib/node_modules
ENV PATH $NVM_DIR/versions/node/v$NODE_VERSION/bin:$PATH

it worked for me

THANKS!!!! :)

If anyone still finding themselves wondering here, I made a working gist with the above + python2.7 for old-timer apps
https://gist.github.com/aviadhahami/910b7f51f9fd53b4a3624f888b2981c9

You can add the nvm to your docker-entrypoint.sh file. This will make nvm/npm work in any login, even /bin/sh. The exception is when using the image in a multi-stage build. See below.

. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"
exec "$@" # Last line

Include it like:

COPY docker-entrypoint.sh .
ENTRYPOINT [ "/docker-entrypoint.sh" ]

Images setup with NVM that are used in a multi-stage build require nvm to be setup manually.

FROM some_nvm_image

RUN \. "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" \
    && npm --version \
    && node --version

But don't put a lot of time on such problems. NVM is a localdev tool. If you're building for production, either use an official node docker image, or borrow their Dockerfile to build your own.