Installing Node.js (and npm) on Windows 10

Edit:It seems like new installers do not have this problem anymore, see this answer by Parag Meshram as my answer is likely obsolete now.

Original answer:

Follow these steps, closely:

• http://nodejs.org/download/ download the 64 bits version, 32 is for hipsters
• Install it anywhere you want, by default: C:\Program Files\nodejs
• Control Panel -> System -> Advanced system settings -> Environment Variables
• Select PATH and choose to edit it.

If the PATH variable is empty, change it to this: C:\Users\{YOUR USERNAME HERE}\AppData\Roaming\npm;C:\Program Files\nodejs

If the PATH variable already contains C:\Users\{YOUR USERNAME HERE}\AppData\Roaming\npm, append the following right after: ;C:\Program Files\nodejs

If the PATH variable contains information, but nothing regarding npm, append this to the end of the PATH: ;C:\Users\{YOUR USERNAME HERE}\AppData\Roaming\npm;C:\Program Files\nodejs

Now that the PATH variable is set correctly, you will still encounter errors. Manually go into the AppData directory and you will find that there is no npm directory inside Roaming. Manually create this directory.

Re-start the command prompt and npm will now work.

go to http://nodejs.org/

and hit the button that says "Download For ..."

This'll download the .msi (or .pkg for mac) which will do all the installation and paths for you, unlike the selected answer.

In addition to the answer from @StephanBijzitter I would use the following PATH variables instead:

%appdata%\npm%ProgramFiles%\nodejs

So your new PATH would look like:

[existing stuff];%appdata%\npm;%ProgramFiles%\nodejs

This has the advantage of neiter being user dependent nor 32/64bit dependent.