Runtime

Note

Updated August 2026. The original information is archived below.

Why hasn't Runtime been released?

tldr; life happens in unexpected ways

I (Corey Butler) originally set out to create Runtime as an OSS replacement for NVM for Windows way back in 2019. Most of my time was committed to my consulting firm, remodeling my former Austin, TX condo, and eventually a move. Nobody anticipated the COVID lockdowns that followed, which started shortly after my move. That ended up soaking up what little free time I had. While I made some progress on Runtime, these were the first signs the project wouldn't be sustainable as a solo developer. Eventually, in 2023, I was joined by @gbdrummer, who was our lead UI/UX engineer in my consulting practice. We formed Author Software Inc and started building Runtime while consulting to fund the new venture.

As AI emerged, we saw distinct new paths and communities forming in software engineering. In March of 2026, with rising attacks on npm and individual maintainers, I could see a hole in trust of the ecosystem forming. With Runtime in mid-pivot, it wasn't yet positioned to plug this hole, but NVM for Windows was. So we paused Runtime and shifted our focus to NVM for Windows v2.

What's next for NVM for Windows?

The initial work on NVM for Windows v2, which was a complete rewrite in multiple languages, took about 3 weeks. The code wasn't really a challenge. Separation of concerns was. The NVM for Windows community is separated between individuals who need a productive tool and organizations who need far more integration, observability, and control across fleets. 95% of the work is for those organizations. This aligns with historical trends, so we shifted to an open core strategy. Core functionality remains free for the community while the additional needs of organizations are sustained through commercial sitewide licenses and add-ons.

NVM for Windows v2 borrowed considerably from Runtime work. We stripped cross-platform features out, as well as workflow features that weren't ready for release. At the time of this writing, the plan is to merge Runtime features into new releases of NVM for Windows until it is a clearly differentiated tool. At that time we'll rename to Runtime.

What's next for Runtime?

Runtime is still mid-pivot, but it is entirely focused on environment management. Author, which is the core app Runtime plugs into, is our north star. Both of these target the same open core model we're following for NVM for Windows.

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Warning

The following is here for historical reference only.

We are now working on Runtime full-time.

Runtime is the next-generation JavaScript environment manager we are building. It picks up where NVM4W leaves off, with a new name and much much more. There is a heavy emphasis on supporting enterprises.

Background Since its inception, the Node community has evolved significantly. The way we work with JavaScript continues to change, especially as new JavaScript runtimes emerge (Deno, Bun, etc).

NVM for Windows has been a good way to work with Node.js on Windows, but I've always felt it could be better. A lot better. I've made many changes and built many features that never saw the light of day (like a macOS version back in 2015). A prototype hooks system was built, but I never had time to finish. These are just a few things I've experimented with. Meanwhile, the JavaScript ecosystem continued to evolve.

I eventually decided to start working on a new cross-platform version manager in 2019. I made some solid progress, but I believe the community wants more than a version manager. Many tools have come out to manage Node.js workflow, a concept which is often lumped in with "version management". I decided to rethink the whole thing, starting over from scratch, focusing on "environment management". This begins with managing JavaScript runtimes.

There are far more nuances for maintaining safe and secure development environments in organizations than there are for individual developers. The Runtime core will provide an updated version management experience for everyone, but there is a direct intention to address enterprise/organizational environment management and other needs via commercial edition/add-on/services. I've setup a new company and have nearly completed initial fundraising (a process of finishing paid client work - VC comes later).

NVM4W Feature Freeze I intend to deprecate NVM for Windows after Runtime is released. There are two things slowing work on Runtime. First, client engagements. I am wrapping up the most time-consuming projects, which extended into Q2 2023. My co-developer and I started working on this full-time on June 20, 2023, though there have been many hurdles to jump. This project has slowed our progress, so I'm freezing feature development on NVM for Windows.

Update: An AWOL employee left Corey with several months of incomplete work on a client project. He is working as fast as possible to catch up and focus exclusively on Runtime. This was finally resolved in February '24. Corey restarted working FT on Runtime in late March '24.

All new features and/or enhancements will be marked as consider for rt, which means I'll be reviewing them and including those that make the cut in Runtime.

You can see the initial announcement about Runtime here.

Updates

To be directly notified when the Runtime beta is ready, complete this form (the last survey question allows you to sign up). I'll also post Runtime updates on our LinkedIn page and on X/Twitter via @authorsoftware/@goldglovecb.