minor version display bug pm2 list shows nvm version instead of app version and missing columns after reset

[wazzan]

Preface

I want to preface this minor issue by saying this minor display bug did not break the install in any way the application and pm2 are working fine.

Description

After fresh global install of pm2 and n8n I noticed pm2 list shows the wrong version for n8n. So after reinstalling PM2 or clearing its cache, pm2 list loses default columns (namespace, version, pid, uptime, user, watching) and shows a reduced set (id, name, mode, ↺, status, cpu, memory). It also reports the wrong version for a globally installed app (n8n), showing nvm’s version (0.40.1) instead of n8n’s (1.81.4).

Steps to Reproduce

1. Install nvm 0.40.1 and Node.js 22.14.0
2. Install n8n globally: npm install -g n8n (version 1.81.4)
3. Install PM2: `npm install -g pm2@latest' (version 5.4.3)
4. Use ecosystem.config.js:

   module.exports = {
     apps: [{
       name: 'n8n',
       script: '/home/user/.nvm/versions/node/v22.14.0/bin/n8n',
       args: 'start',
       env_file: '/home/user/.n8n/.env',
       cron_restart: '0 0 * * *',
       autorestart: true,
       watch: false,
       instances: 1,
       exec_mode: 'fork'
     }]
   };

5.Start: cd /home/user/.n8n && pm2 start ecosystem.config.js.
6.Check: pm2 list—shows full columns with version: 0.40.1.
7.Reset: pm2 kill && rm -rf ~/.pm2/* && cd /home/user/.n8n && pm2 start ecosystem.config.js.
8.Check again: pm2 list—missing columns, version gone or 0.40.1 in pm2 show n8n.

Expected Behavior

• pm2 list consistently shows all default columns: id, name, namespace, version, mode, pid, uptime, ↺, status, cpu, mem, user, watching.
• version reflects n8n’s 1.81.4 from /home/user/.nvm/versions/node/v22.14.0/lib/node_modules/n8n/package.json.

Actual Behavior

• Post-reset, pm2 list drops to id, name, mode, ↺, status, cpu, memory.
• version in pm2 show n8n shows 0.40.1 from nvm’s Git repo (/home/user/.nvm).

Outputs

• Before Reset:

id	name	namespace	version	mode	pid	uptime	↺	status	cpu	mem	user	watching
0	n8n	default	0.40.1	fork	7393	0s	0	online	0%	49.3mb	user	disabled

• After Reset:

id	name	mode	↺	status	cpu	memory
0	n8n	fork	0	online	0%	35.9mb

• pm2 show n8n:

Key	Value
version	0.40.1
script path	/home/user/.nvm/versions/node/v22.14.0/bin/n8n
Revision control metadata
revision control	git
remote url	https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm.git
comment	v0.40.1

• Environment:

  • OS: Debian
  • Node.js: 22.14.0
  • nvm: 0.40.1
  • PM2: 5.4.3
  • n8n: 1.81.4

• Attempts to Fix

pm2 delete n8n && pm2 start ecosystem.config.js
pm2 kill && rm -rf ~/.pm2/* && pm2 start ecosystem.config.js
Reinstall PM2: npm uninstall -g pm2 && npm install -g pm2@latest

• Notes:
• vizion: false sets version to N/A but doesn’t restore columns.
• n8n runs correctly as 1.81.4 (both GUI and binary confirms that)