How can I update my nodeJS to the latest version?

Use n module from npm in order to upgrade node

sudo npm cache clean -f
sudo npm install -g n
sudo n stable

To upgrade to latest version (and not current stable) version, you can use

sudo n latest

• Fix PATH:

    sudo apt-get install --reinstall nodejs-legacy     # fix /usr/bin/node
  

• To undo:

    sudo n rm 6.0.0     # replace number with version of Node that was installed
    sudo npm uninstall -g n
  

You may need to restart your terminal to see the updated node version.

Found in David Walsh blog

Complete installation instructions have since been uploaded here by Nodesource. It is copied below for your reference. Instructions are the same for updating to the latest version.

If you don't like curl ... | sudo bash - then you can follow the manual instructions, which tells you how to add the Node.js repository to /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ yourself.

NOTE: If you are using Ubuntu Precise or Debian Wheezy, you might want to read about running Node.js >= 6.x on older distros

Node.js Current:

# Using Ubuntu
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_current.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Using Debian, as root
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_current.x | bash -
apt-get install -y nodejs

Node.js v13.x:

# Using Ubuntu
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_13.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Using Debian, as root
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_13.x | bash -
apt-get install -y nodejs

Node.js v12.x:

# Using Ubuntu
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_12.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Using Debian, as root
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_12.x | bash -
apt-get install -y nodejs

Node.js v11.x:

# Using Ubuntu
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_11.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Using Debian, as root
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_11.x | bash -
apt-get install -y nodejs

Node.js v10.x:

# Using Ubuntu
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_10.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Using Debian, as root
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_10.x | bash -
apt-get install -y nodejs

Node.js v9.x:

# Using Ubuntu
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_9.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Using Debian, as root
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_9.x | bash -
apt-get install -y nodejs

Node.js v8.x:

# Using Ubuntu
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_8.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Using Debian, as root
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_8.x | bash -
apt-get install -y nodejs

Node.js v7.x:

NOTE: Debian Wheezy and Ubuntu Precise packages are NOT available for this release. Please reference running Node.js >= 4.x on older distros

# Using Ubuntu
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_7.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Using Debian, as root
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_7.x | bash -
apt-get install -y nodejs

Node.js v6.x:

NOTE: If you are using Ubuntu Precise or Debian Wheezy, you might want to read about running Node.js >= 4.x on older distros.

# Using Ubuntu
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_6.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Using Debian, as root
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_6.x | bash -
apt-get install -y nodejs

Node.js v5.x:

NOTE: If you are using Ubuntu Precise or Debian Wheezy, you might want to read about running Node.js >= 4.x on older distros.

# Using Ubuntu
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_5.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Using Debian, as root
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_5.x | bash -
apt-get install -y nodejs

Node.js v4.x:

NOTE: If you are using Ubuntu Precise or Debian Wheezy, you might want to read about running Node.js >= 4.x on older distros.

# Using Ubuntu
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_4.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Using Debian, as root
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_4.x | bash -
apt-get install -y nodejs

Node.js v0.12:

# Using Ubuntu
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_0.12 | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Using Debian, as root
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_0.12 | bash -
apt-get install -y nodejs

Node.js v0.10:

# Using Ubuntu
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_0.10 | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Using Debian, as root
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_0.10 | bash -
apt-get install -y nodejs

io.js v3.x:

# Using Ubuntu
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_iojs_3.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y iojs

# Using Debian, as root
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_iojs_3.x | bash -
apt-get install -y iojs

io.js v2.x:

# Using Ubuntu
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_iojs_2.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y iojs

# Using Debian, as root
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_iojs_2.x | bash -
apt-get install -y iojs

io.js v1.x:

Note: this branch of io.js is not actively maintained and is not recommended for production use.

# Using Ubuntu
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_iojs_1.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y iojs

# Using Debian, as root
curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_iojs_1.x | bash -
apt-get install -y iojs

I also recommend using nvm instead, and also removing the already installed version to avoid conflicts in the terminal

sudo apt purge nodejs npm

then install nvm and use it

Video Explanation

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/creationix/nvm/v0.33.8/install.sh | bash

to download and install nvm

nvm install node

should download and install the latest version of node.

To update node later on just do

nvm install node
nvm alias default node