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## Installation
-To install create a folder somewhere in your filesystem with the nvm.sh file inside it. I put mine in a folder called `.nvn`.
+First you'll need to make sure your system has a c++ compiler. For OSX XCode will work, for Ubuntu, the build-essential package works. You'll also need `git` if you want to track HEAD.
+
+To install create a folder somewhere in your filesystem with the nvm.sh file inside it. I put mine in a folder called `.nvm`.
Then add three lines to your bash profile: