Install script for Node.js on Debian Squeeze. Forked and added "python" to top line as it was missing from the original. Testing on Debian 6.06 from a minty fresh Rackspace Cloud VM image.

install.sh

sudo apt-get update && apt-get install git-core curl build-essential openssl libssl-dev python

git clone https://github.com/joyent/node.git
cd node
 
# 'git tag' shows all available versions: select the latest stable.
git checkout enter-a-version
 
# Configure seems not to find libssl by default so we give it an explicit pointer.
# Optionally: you can isolate node by adding --prefix=/opt/node
./configure --openssl-libpath=/usr/lib/ssl
make
make test
sudo make install
node -v # it's alive!
 
# Luck us: NPM is packaged with Node.js source so this is now installed too
# curl http://npmjs.org/install.sh | sudo sh
npm -v # it's alive!