🚀 Bun Version Manager — manage multiple Bun versions easily

Features

• Install any published Bun version (bvm install 1.1.0, bvm install latest)
• nvm-style default version: new shells and unpinned directories use it
• Per-project versions via an optional .bvmrc (bvm use --save 1.4.0)
• Works natively on Linux, macOS (Intel & Apple Silicon) and Windows
• Zero runtime dependencies — a single static binary

Installation

Linux / macOS

curl -s -S -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/chathula/bvm/main/install.sh | bash

Or if you are using zsh just change bash with zsh:

curl -s -S -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/chathula/bvm/main/install.sh | zsh

Using a different shell? No problem — the command above works in bash, zsh and fish as-is. The installer detects your login shell, updates the right profile (.zshrc, .bashrc or fish's config.fish), and prints the exact command to activate bvm in your current session when it finishes.

The installer puts the bvm binary in ~/.bvm/bin and adds it to your PATH. bvm is not available in the current session yet — either open a new terminal, or run the source ~/.zshrc / source ~/.bashrc command the installer prints when it finishes.

Prefer not piping scripts into a shell? Two-step equivalent:

curl -fsSLO https://raw.githubusercontent.com/chathula/bvm/main/install.sh
less install.sh        # inspect it first
bash install.sh && rm install.sh

Windows (PowerShell)

powershell -c "irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/chathula/bvm/main/install.ps1 | iex"

Installs to %USERPROFILE%\.bvm\bin and adds it to your user PATH — reopen your terminal afterwards.

Other options

# If you have Go tooling installed:
go install github.com/chathula/bvm@latest

Or download an archive for your platform from the releases page, unzip it, and put the bvm binary somewhere on your PATH.

Troubleshooting

• command not found: bvm right after installing — your current shell hasn't re-read its profile. Open a new terminal, or run source ~/.zshrc (zsh) / source ~/.bashrc (bash) / source ~/.config/fish/config.fish (fish).
• Installer prints nothing / 404 — make sure the URL matches your branch (main) and that the repository is public; retry with -v on curl.
• unzip missing — the installer needs it; on Debian/Ubuntu run sudo apt-get install unzip, on Alpine apk add unzip.
• Existing Bun installed another way — bvm activates versions through ~/.bun/bin/bun; if that path belongs to another install, remove it from your PATH or let bvm manage it going forward. Run bvm doctor any time to diagnose your setup.

Usage

bvm install [version]   Install a bun version ('latest' allowed; defaults to .bvmrc)
bvm use [--save] [v]    Show what applies here; '--save <v>' pins this project (.bvmrc)
bvm use default         Remove this directory's pin (if any)
bvm use --reset         Clear a session override ($BVM_VERSION)
bvm exec <v> [args]     Run a one-off command with a specific version
bvm alias default <v>   Set the version used outside pinned projects
bvm list                List installed versions
bvm list-remote         List all remote versions
bvm uninstall <version> Remove an installed version
bvm doctor              Diagnose your bvm/bun setup

(No separate which command — bvm use with no argument shows which version applies in the current directory and why.)

Examples:

bvm install latest      # first install ever -> becomes the default
bvm install 1.1.0       # installs a specific version
bvm use                 # what version applies in this directory, and why
bvm use --save 1.1.0    # pins 1.1.0 to the current project (creates .bvmrc)
bvm use default         # remove this project's pin
bvm ls                  # * marks the default, (this project) marks the pin
bvm doctor              # verify shim, PATH, resolution, API reachability

Windows note: Bun ships native Windows builds starting at v1.1.0; older versions cannot be installed on Windows.

How version resolution works

bvm works like nvm's default alias, implemented through a shim: the bun command on your PATH is bvm itself, and it resolves which real Bun binary to run on every invocation.

1. $BVM_VERSION if set — a temporary, session-only override (see below)
2. The nearest .bvmrc walking up from your current directory (project pin — always opt-in, created only by bvm use --save <version> or written by hand)
3. The default alias (bvm alias default <version>)
4. Nothing — you get a helpful error instead of a mystery binary

Consequences (matching nvm's mental model):

• The first version you install becomes the default
• New shells and unpinned directories always run the default version
• bvm use never creates files — it reports what applies here; only bvm use --save <version> writes a .bvmrc, and only when you ask
• .bvmrc is completely optional: commit it to share a project's Bun version, or skip it entirely and rely on the default
• bun works everywhere: no shell hooks or PATH juggling per project

A .bvmrc follows the same rules everywhere: blank lines and # comments are ignored, the first version line wins, and 1.4.0 / v1.4.0 are equivalent. bvm install with no argument reads it too.

Temporary version switching (nvm-style use)

Like nvm use, you can switch versions for your current terminal session only — files, other terminals and other projects are untouched:

bvm use 1.4.0        # this shell now runs 1.4.0 (sets $BVM_VERSION)
bvm use --reset      # back to .bvmrc / default
bvm use default      # clears the override AND removes this project's pin

When you close the shell (or unset BVM_VERSION), the project's .bvmrc — or the default — applies again, exactly like coming back to a project under nvm.

For one-off commands without changing your session:

bvm exec 1.1.0 bun test

This works through the small bvm() shell function the installer adds to your profile (bash/zsh/fish): the function runs inside your shell and sets $BVM_VERSION, which the shim checks first. Existing installs can re-run the installer to pick it up, or add the snippet to your profile manually.

bvm ls shows both roles:

  v1.3.1 (this project)
* v1.4.0 (default)

Uninstalling a Bun version

bvm uninstall 1.3.1

• Removing a regular version just deletes it
• Removing the default version promotes the highest remaining one — bun keeps working everywhere
• Removing the last version also removes the shim and the default alias; bun prints a clear "not installed" message until you install again
• If the current project's .bvmrc pinned the removed version, bvm warns you to update it

Uninstalling bvm

Manual removal, nvm-style:

# 1. remove the installation directory (versions, shim, aliases)
bvm_dir="${BVM_DIR:-~/.bvm}"
rm -rf "$bvm_dir"

# 2. remove the shim bvm placed on your PATH
rm -f ~/.bun/bin/bun        # unix (skip if you installed Bun independently)

Then edit your shell profile (~/.zshrc, ~/.bashrc or fish's config.fish) and delete the lines bvm added:

# bvm & bun
export BVM_DIR="$HOME/.bvm"
export PATH="$BVM_DIR/bin:$PATH"

On Windows (PowerShell):

Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:USERPROFILE\.bvm"
Remove-Item -Force "$env:USERPROFILE\.bun\bin\bun.exe"
# then remove "%USERPROFILE%\.bvm\bin" from your PATH (Settings > Environment Variables)

Run bvm doctor before uninstalling if you want a report of everything bvm currently manages.

Development

Requires Go ≥ 1.21 — the exact toolchain (go1.27.0) is pinned in go.mod and fetched automatically.

make build      # build to bin/
make test       # unit tests
make test-e2e   # end-to-end tests (downloads real Bun releases)
make cover      # coverage report + enforces a 90% floor (excluding main())
make fmt vet    # formatting + static checks

E2E tests run the compiled binary in an isolated environment against real Bun release archives, on every OS in CI (ubuntu / macos / windows).

Releases are cut by pushing a v* tag; GoReleaser builds and publishes archives for all platforms, then smoke-tests both installer scripts against the published release.