Node.js for dummies

Node.js WTF??????????????????

• Node.js is an open-source framework
• Node.js is a cross-platform runtime environment for developing server-side and networking applications
• Node.js is a JavaScript runtime built on Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine
• Node.js uses an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model that makes it lightweight and efficient.

Installing Node.js to get started

• To get the latest Node.js binary you can visit the official Node.js website: https://nodejs.org/en/download/.

Check with Everything

• To get started with Node.js, let's try it in the terminal! Start Node.js by simply typing node:

• $ node
  >
  

  Okay, let's try printing something:

  $ node
  > console.log('hello from Node.js')
  

  Once you hit Enter, you will get something like this:

  > console.log('hello from Node.js')
  hello from Node.js
  undefined

When Starting a new Project

• Every Node.js project starts with creating a package.json file - you can think of it as a JSON representation of the application and its' dependencies. It contains your application's name, the author (you), and all the dependencies that is needed to run the application
• Command to create this file is npm init and follow the instructions.
• It will create something like this

{
  "name": "test",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "",
  "main": "index.js",
  "scripts": {
    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1",
    "start": "node index.js"
  },
  "author": "",
  "license": "ISC"
}