microsoft / microsoft/WindowsDeveloperConfig
Conflict: dev-config installs nvm4w but TypeScript workload installs Node.js LTS directly
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Description
Summary
The main dev-config.winget installs NVM for Windows (CoreyButler.NVMforWindows), which manages Node.js versions via a symlink at C:\nvm4w\nodejs and adds that to PATH. However, the TypeScript workload (Workloads/typescript/configuration.winget) separately installs OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS directly via winget, which places Node at C:\Program Files\nodejs.
This creates a broken state where:
- PATH points to
C:\nvm4w\nodejs(set by nvm4w) - The nvm4w symlink targets a version directory (e.g.
C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\nvm\v24.16.0) that does not exist because Node was installed via the MSI package, not throughnvm install nodeandnpmare not found on PATH despite Node.js being physically installed
Steps to Reproduce
- Apply the main
windows-dev-config/dev-config.winget(installs nvm4w, addsC:\nvm4w\nodejsto PATH) - Apply
Workloads/typescript/configuration.winget(installsOpenJS.NodeJS.LTStoC:\Program Files\nodejs) - Open a new terminal
- Run
node --version→ command not found
Root Cause
nvm4w owns the PATH entry (C:\nvm4w\nodejs) and expects Node to be installed via nvm install <version> + nvm use <version>. The direct winget install of OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS puts node elsewhere and nvm4w's symlink points to a non-existent directory.
Suggested Fix
Option A — TypeScript workload defers to nvm4w:
Replace the OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS winget package resource with a RunCommandOnSet that runs:
nvm install lts
nvm use lts
Option B — Remove nvm4w from dev-config, let workloads install Node directly:
Remove CoreyButler.NVMforWindows from dev-config.winget and ensure C:\Program Files\nodejs ends up on PATH (the Node MSI installer does this by default).
Option C — Keep both but coordinate PATH:
If both are intentional, the TypeScript workload should add C:\Program Files\nodejs to PATH explicitly, or the refresh-path.ps1 should detect and resolve the nvm4w symlink conflict.
Environment
- Windows 11 (Build 2026)
- winget v1.28.240
- CoreyButler.NVMforWindows 1.2.2
- OpenJS.NodeJS.22 24.16.0 (installed by winget as the LTS package)
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Compare dev-config.winget with Workloads/typescript/configuration.winget, then inspect refresh-path.ps1 if PATH handling is part of the chosen approach. Apply both configurations on Windows and verify that node --version and npm are available in a new terminal without conflicting Node installations; the selected coordination strategy should be explicit and reproducible.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- node.js, powershell, typescript
- Domain
- developer-experience, devops, tooling
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Estimated time
- 1-2 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 48/100