Temporary Runtimes

Try a tool version for one command or alias while preserving project pins, global pins and lockfiles.

Run a command

Install the provider plugin first. avm exec (also avm x) resolves each tool@version, installs a missing runtime, and supplies its executable directory and provider environment to the child process. Arguments after -- are passed to the command.

avm exec node@20 -- node --version
avm x node@22 java@21 -- npm run build
avm exec --no-install node@20 -- node --version

Run a project alias

Use --with before the alias arguments; repeat it for multiple tools. Trusted project environment variables apply. --no-install fails if the selected version is unavailable locally. Temporary selections resolve independently of project lock pins.

avm run --with node@20 test
avm run --with node@22 --with java@21 build
avm run --no-install --with node@20 test