nodejs vs node on ubuntu 12.04

You need to manually create a symlink /usr/bin/node. Shortcut for bash compatible shells:

sudo ln -s `which nodejs` /usr/bin/node

Or if you use non-standard shells, just hardcode the path you find with which nodejs:

sudo ln -s /usr/bin/nodejs /usr/bin/node

Later edit

I found this explanation in the link you posted

There is a naming conflict with the node package (Amateur Packet Radio Node Program), and the nodejs binary has been renamed from node to nodejs. You'll need to symlink /usr/bin/node to /usr/bin/nodejs or you could uninstall the Amateur Packet Radio Node Program to avoid that conflict.

Later later edit

It's been a while since I answered this. Although the solution I posted up here worked for me several times, users have reported a few more solutions within the comments:

From @user229115

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/node node /usr/bin/nodejs 10

From AskUbuntu (user leftium)

sudo apt-get --purge remove node
sudo apt-get --purge remove nodejs
sudo apt-get install nodejs

I have the same issue in Ubuntu 14.04.

I have installed "nodejs" and it's working, but only if I'm use command "nodejs". If I try to use "node" nothing happens.

I'm fixed this problem in next way:

1. Install nodejs-legacy

   sudo apt-get install nodejs-legacy

After that, when I type "node" in command line I'm get an error message "/usr/sbin/node: No such file or directory"

2. Second, what I did, it's a symbolic link on "nodejs":

   sudo ln -s /usr/bin/nodejs /usr/sbin/node

Apparently the solution differs between Ubuntu versions. Following worked for me on Ubuntu 13.10:

sudo apt-get install nodejs-legacy

HTH

Edit: Rule of thumb:

If you have installed nodejs but are missing the /usr/bin/node binary, then also install nodejs-legacy. This just creates the missing softlink.

According to my tests, Ubuntu 17.10 and above already have the compatibility-softlink /usr/bin/node in place after nodejs is installed, so nodejs-legacy is missing from these releases as it is no more needed.

I think this is it:

sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/node node /usr/bin/nodejs 10

Using Debian alternatives.