How to fix npm ERR! 'node' is not recognized as an internal or external command in npm

Open Command Prompt (Win + R, type cmd) and check if Node.js exists on your system:

node --version
npm --version

If both commands fail with the "not recognized" error, proceed to the next step.

You can also verify the installation by checking if the directory exists. Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Program Files\nodejs. If this folder doesn't exist, Node.js is not installed, and you need to download and install it from https://nodejs.org.

This is the most common fix. Windows needs to know where to find the node.exe and npm.cmd files:

1. Press Win + R, type systempropertiesadvanced.exe, and press Enter
2. Click the "Environment Variables" button at the bottom
3. Under "System variables" (not User variables), find the variable named Path and click "Edit"
4. Click "New" and add: C:\Program Files\nodejs
5. If you installed Node.js in a different directory, add that path instead
6. Click OK three times to close all dialogs
7. Close all open Command Prompt and PowerShell windows completely
8. Open a new Command Prompt window and test: node --version

The key is closing and reopening your terminal so it reads the updated PATH.

If the previous step didn't work, you may have conflicting PATH entries. Open Environment Variables again and check both "User variables" and "System variables" sections:

1. Look for any entries containing npm, nodejs, or node in either section
2. In the User variables PATH, check if you have: C:\Users\{YourUsername}\AppData\Roaming\npm
3. In the System variables PATH, check if you have: C:\Program Files\nodejs

Important: Both should exist, but they should reference different locations. If you see duplicates or outdated paths (like C:\nodejs or old version directories), remove them.

Correct configuration:
- System PATH: C:\Program Files\nodejs
- User PATH: C:\Users\{YourUsername}\AppData\Roaming\npm (for global npm packages)

If the above steps don't work, your Node.js installation is likely corrupted. Completely remove and reinstall:

1. Press Win + R, type appwiz.cpl, and press Enter to open Programs and Features
2. Find "Node.js" in the list, click it, and select "Uninstall"
3. Delete the leftover directory: Navigate to C:\Program Files\nodejs and delete it if it still exists
4. Clear npm cache folder: Navigate to C:\Users\{YourUsername}\AppData\Roaming, find the npm and npm-cache folders, and delete them
5. Restart your computer
6. Download the LTS version from https://nodejs.org/
7. Run the installer and ensure "Add to PATH" is checked (it should be by default)
8. Complete the installation
9. Open a new Command Prompt and verify: node --version && npm --version

If the error appears only in VS Code's terminal but works in standalone Command Prompt, VS Code's terminal hasn't recognized the PATH update:

1. Close Visual Studio Code completely
2. Open a Command Prompt and verify Node.js works: node --version
3. Reopen VS Code
4. Click the terminal area and click the trash/close icon to kill the current terminal
5. Open a new terminal in VS Code (Ctrl + `)

If it still doesn't work, configure VS Code to use a specific shell. Go to VS Code settings, search for terminal.external.windowsExec, and ensure it points to a valid terminal application.

If you're using nvm-windows to manage Node versions, the issue may be with how nvm is configured:

# Check if a Node version is active
nvm list

# If no version is active, install and use one
nvm install lts
nvm use lts

# Verify
node --version && npm --version

If you still have issues, uninstall nvm-windows itself, reinstall it, and then install a fresh Node.js version through nvm.