Quick Tips - Installing NodeJS on MediaTemple in 2017 (using yum vs aptitude)

We love MediaTemple. They've been a solid host for years and provide an excellent managed VPS platform and great customer service through their guides and staff. But when it comes to installing Node on their servers, their documentation falls flat and their staff can't help with 3rd party software.

The Problem

I'm currently on MediaTemple's self-managed VPS plan, which is a Linux server running CentOS 6 and CPanel. There are a few guides on MediaTemple that document the process, but none work on my current server config (most of their guides are for Ubuntu based systems)

So when it came time to install Node on my VPS, I was left with a blank. After a bit of research, I found my solution.

The Solution

Rather than using aptitude, the package manager for Ubuntu/Unix, I'd use yum, the package manager specifically for CentOS. Node has a section in their installation guide for Enterprise Linux/Fedora servers, which covers our CentOS config.

  1. SSH to root
  2. Use yum install node (Not apt-get)

That's it. It was that simple. Node is installed and you can start using npm to your heart's content.

Easy as that

I hope this helps with your next Node or NPM based project on MediaTemple or a CentOS style server!

Stay regular,
Oscar

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Oscar

Oscar is an artist and engineer who's been creating cannabis brands and media experiences for over 10 years, and developing full-stack applications for over 15 years.