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nvm vs asdf: catalog facts
nvm	asdf
Free Free and open source under the MIT licence.	Free Free and open source under the MIT licence.
macOS, Linux, Command line	macOS, Linux, Command line
Per-shell version switching with .nvmrc files for each project Installs entirely in your home directory with no root access	One tool and one .tool-versions file replaces nvm, rbenv, pyenv and friends Plugin ecosystem covers hundreds of runtimes and CLI tools
Shell startup is noticeably slower once it is sourced Windows needs a separate project; this one is POSIX shells only	Shim indirection adds startup latency and occasionally confuses tooling Plugin quality varies since each is community-maintained
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: MIT	License: MIT
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.