What arcana? Windows is not Unix and it uses PATH variable too. On most Linux distros you can simply run the equivalent to `sudo apt-get install nodejs` (or use a graphical front-end, if that's too hard for you) and everything will just work.
Just as an aside, GUI installers are an absolute cancer. I don't mind if there is an option to do that, but I just wish I could make a simple script for installing all the necessary programs on Windows, just like I can on Linux. But no, I have to spend two days doing nothing but manually clicking through the installers, because that's fun.
> What arcana? Windows is not Unix and it uses PATH variable too.
That's a whole additional world of arcana, since the Windows PATH variable works subtly differently, and is configured through a (fairly obtuse) GUI in an unrelated settings panel.
> On most Linux distros you can simply run the equivalent to `sudo apt-get install nodejs`
The OP is however on a Mac, where there isn't a default package manager. Now suddenly novices have to go learn about the differences between Homebrew vs MacPorts, and why neither one works properly on their shiny new MacBook.
> Just as an aside, GUI installers are an absolute cancer
For us linux sysadmins? Sure. For the rest of the world GUI installers are just how computers work.
You can for the most part (I've done exactly that for the dependencies of a windows-developed system). Almost all installers support an unattended or 'silent' installation mode through a command line switch, though it can be a bit of a pain to get them to work the way you want.
Just as an aside, GUI installers are an absolute cancer. I don't mind if there is an option to do that, but I just wish I could make a simple script for installing all the necessary programs on Windows, just like I can on Linux. But no, I have to spend two days doing nothing but manually clicking through the installers, because that's fun.