Does Termux install npm with Node.js?

Yes. Installing the `nodejs` package in Termux also provides npm, so you can use it immediately.

Do I need build tools for Node modules?

Only if a package has native extensions. In that case, install `build-essential` before running `npm install`.

It gives Node scripts permission to access `/sdcard`, which is useful for local file-based workflows and script output.

This guide shows how to install Node.js on Android using Termux, with a few practical notes from real-world mobile development.

Download Termux from Google Play, F-Droid, or the Termux GitHub releases page.

Open Termux and run:

pkg update && pkg upgrade

This refreshes the package list and brings your Termux environment up to date.

Run:

pkg install nodejs

When the prompt appears, type y and press Enter.

Check that Node.js and npm are installed:

node --version
npm --version

It should return the installed Node.js version and the npm version.

pkg install build-essential

I install build-essential only when a package fails to compile, because it adds extra disk usage on mobile.

To allow Node scripts to read and write files on your phone's internal storage, run:

termux-setup-storage

I usually do this right after installing Node. It avoids surprises later when a script tries to save logs or output to /sdcard.