Install Node.js in Mint/Ubuntu

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install python-software-properties python g++ make
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:chris-lea/node.js
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install nodejs

It installs current stable Node on the current stable Ubuntu. Quantal (12.10) users may need to install the software-properties-common package for the add-apt-repository command to work: sudo apt-get install software-properties-common

As of Node.js v0.10.0, the nodejs package from Chris Lea's repo includes both npm and nodejs-dev.

There is a naming conflict with the node package (Amateur Packet Radio Node Program), and the nodejs binary has been renamed from node to nodejs. You'll need to symlink /usr/bin/node to /usr/bin/nodejs or you could uninstall the Amateur Packet Radio Node Program to avoid that conflict.