Install Node and pnpm

What you're about to do

Install Node.js (the tool that runs JavaScript apps on your computer) and pnpm (the tool that downloads the building blocks your app needs).

Why it matters

Your app is built with JavaScript. Node lets your computer run JavaScript. pnpm is how your app gets the pre-built pieces it depends on (auth, payments, etc.). Without these two, the app can't run.

What you'll need

Your code editor open. 5–10 minutes.

Open the terminal

This is where it gets unfamiliar, so we'll go slow.

A terminal is a program that lets you type commands to your computer instead of clicking buttons. You only need a handful of commands for this whole journey.

The easiest way to open a terminal: open the one built into your code editor.

In Cursor or VS Code:

Open Cursor (or VS Code) if it's not already open
At the very top menu bar, click Terminal → New Terminal
A panel opens at the bottom of the editor showing a command prompt

You should see something like a blinking cursor next to text that looks like:

yourname@yourcomputer ~ %

(On Windows it might look like PS C:\Users\yourname>.)

This is where you'll type commands. That's it.

Install Node.js

Node has a normal installer — a file you double-click, like any other program. That's the route we're taking. You don't need the terminal for this part at all.

Go to nodejs.org/en/download
Near the top there are a few dropdowns. Make sure the version one says LTS — that's the stable release. Whatever number nodejs.org currently shows next to LTS is the right one; you don't need a specific version.
Set the operating-system dropdown to macOS. Leave the other dropdowns on their defaults.
Click the Download Node.js button. You'll get a .pkg file — a normal Mac installer, not a script.
Double-click the downloaded file and click through the installer, accepting the defaults.
Close your code editor completely and reopen it, then open a new terminal. The terminal only notices Node after a fresh start.

You'll see a section about nvm on that page. Ignore it. nvm is a terminal-based way to install Node that lets developers juggle several versions at once. You need exactly one version, and the installer above is far simpler. The same goes for Homebrew on Mac — if you already use it, brew install node is fine, but don't install Homebrew just for this.

Install pnpm

This is the same command on Mac and Windows.

In your terminal, paste this and press Enter:

npm install -g pnpm

Wait 30 seconds. When you see the command prompt again (the blinking cursor with % or >), it's done.

How to verify it worked

Type these commands one at a time, pressing Enter after each. Each one should show a number.

node --version

You should see a version number like v22.5.0 or v24.9.0. The exact number doesn't matter, but it must be v20 or higher — this app won't install on anything older. If you see v18 or below, you have an old copy of Node; install the LTS version above and reopen your terminal.

pnpm --version

You should see something like 9.5.0 or 10.2.1. Again, the number doesn't matter.

If both commands show numbers, you're done with this step.

What to do if something went wrong▾

Problem: command not found: node

You probably closed your terminal too early. Close your code editor completely, reopen it, open a new terminal, and try node --version again.

If that doesn't work on Windows, your installer may not have finished properly. Visit nodejs.org again and re-run the installer.

Problem: node --version shows v18 or lower.

You already had an older Node on this computer, and your terminal is still finding it. Install the LTS version from the steps above, then fully quit your code editor and reopen it — not just the terminal panel. If it still reports the old version, restart your computer and check once more.

Problem: Permission errors when installing pnpm.

Try this command instead: sudo npm install -g pnpm. On Mac it will ask for your password. Type it (invisibly) and press Enter.

If you're stuck, click Support at the top of this page.

Continue to Step 4