Nodev is a macOS desktop application for managing Node.js development projects. Key features: project discovery, server management, custom .nodev domains, session restoration, dependency management, version management, environment variables. Target audience: Node.js developers on macOS managing multiple projects. Nodev bundles Node.js v20.18.0 and supports frameworks like Next.js, Nuxt, NestJS, Express, Vite, React, Remix, Astro, and Svelte. Package managers supported: npm, yarn, pnpm, bun. Requires macOS 12 (Monterey) or later.
nodev
Use Case

Switching Between Environments

Test your frontend against dev, staging, or production backends. Switch environments instantly when starting servers—no more copying .env files.

All your environments, ready to switch

Development

Local development backend

http://localhost:4000

Staging

Pre-production testing

https://staging-api.example.com

Production

Live production backend

https://api.example.com

The old way: Manual file management

Copy .env Files

Manually copy and rename environment files

  • cp .env.development .env
  • cp .env.staging .env
  • cp .env.production .env
  • Remember to revert when switching back

Edit Variables

Change API URLs and values manually

  • Open .env in editor
  • Find and replace API_URL
  • Update other environment-specific values
  • Hope you didn't miss anything

Restart Server

Server needs restart to load new variables

  • Stop the server (Ctrl+C)
  • Start again with npm run dev
  • Wait for bundle to compile
  • Verify correct environment is loaded

With Nodev: Click and switch

Create Once, Use Forever

Set up environments once, switch instantly forever

  • Create Development environment
  • Paste .env content or add variables
  • Create Staging environment
  • Create Production environment

Select and Run

Choose environment when starting server

  • Click Run button
  • Select environment from dropdown
  • Server starts with correct variables
  • No file copying, no editing

Instant Switching

Switch environments without restarting

  • Stop server with one click
  • Select different environment
  • Start server again
  • Variables auto-apply correctly

Real-world scenarios

Testing a bug in staging

Without Nodev

Copy .env.staging to .env, edit API_URL, restart server, verify, then repeat process to go back to dev

With Nodev

Stop server, select 'Staging' from dropdown, start server. Done.

Deploying to production

Without Nodev

Need to remember production API keys, manually update each variable, risk of copying wrong values

With Nodev

Production environment already configured with all keys, just select and run

Onboarding new developer

Without Nodev

They need to know which .env file to use, how to format it, which values to change

With Nodev

They just select environment from dropdown - everything is pre-configured

From manual file copying to instant environment switching.

Nodev eliminates the error-prone workflow of managing .env files so you can focus on testing, not file management.

Still juggling terminal tabs every morning?

There's a dashboard for that. Download Nodev and get back to shipping code.

Download for Intel Mac

Free while in beta • macOS 12+ • Apple Silicon & Intel

Nodev - Predictable local development for multi-project teams | Product Hunt