Getting Started with Node.js

Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform runtime environment for executing JavaScript code outside of a web browser. It has gained immense popularity among developers due to its ability to build scalable, high-performance applications. In this article, we’ll discuss the basics of getting started with Node.js.

Installation and Setup

Before you start building applications with Node.js, you need to install it on your system. You can download the installer from the official Node.js website (https://nodejs.org). The installer includes both Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager), which is used to install and manage Node.js packages.

Once you have installed Node.js, you can test your installation by opening the terminal or command prompt and typing node -v. This will display the version of Node.js installed on your system.

Creating a Simple Node.js Application

Let’s create a simple “Hello World” application using Node.js. Open a text editor and create a new file called app.js. Copy the following code into the file:

javascript

console.log("Hello World!");

Save the file and open the terminal or command prompt. Navigate to the directory where the app.js file is located and type node app.js. This will execute the application, and you should see “Hello World!” displayed in the console.

Working with Node.js Packages

Node.js has a vast collection of packages available for use. These packages are published on the npm registry and can be installed using npm.

Let’s install the moment package, which is a popular package for working with dates and times in JavaScript. Open the terminal or command prompt and type npm install moment. This will install the moment package and add it to your project’s package.json file.

Now, let’s use the moment package in our application. Open the app.js file and replace the previous code with the following:

javascript

const moment = require('moment');

console.log(`The current date and time is ${moment().format('MMMM Do YYYY, h:mm:ss a')}`);

This code imports the moment package and uses it to display the current date and time in a formatted string. Save the file and run the application using node app.js. You should see the current date and time displayed in the console.

Conclusion

In this article, we covered the basics of getting started with Node.js. We discussed the installation and setup process, creating a simple application, and working with Node.js packages. This is just the beginning of what you can do with Node.js. With its powerful features and vast ecosystem of packages, Node.js is an excellent choice for building modern, high-performance applications.