Getting Started with Node.js

Node.js is server side async runtime.

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. — Nodejs.org

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Step 1: Install Node.js

Visit Nodejs.org and download and install Node.js for your machine. (This tutorial using Linux based machine)

• After installation is finished open Terminal and write following command:

node -v

• This should output node version if Node.js is installed correctly:

v8.6.0

Step 2: Write your first ever Node.js code

• Create your first Node.js file using following command in terminal:

touch HelloUniverse.js

• Here HelloUniverse is file name, .js is extension of JavaScript file.
• Now open HelloUniverse.js file in any of text editor tool.

Help Note: This tutorial is using VisualStudioCode, but there are many text editor tools available,

• Write following code in HelloUniverse.js

var http = require('http');                         //Line 1
http.createServer(function (request, response) {    //Line 2
    response.write("Hello Universe!");              //Line 3
    response.end();                                 //Line 4
}).listen(8080);                                    //Line 5

Let’s execute the code. Explanation of above code is given below.

Step 3: Run the above node code.

In terminal write following command:

node HelloUniverse.js

Open following link in your browser:

http://localhost:8080

Happy Happy 😃, the node server is running in your local machine.

Hello Universe using Node.js

You are done with your first Hello Universe code of Node.js.

HelloUniverse.js explanation:

Line 1:

var http = require('http'); //Line 1

• Using require(‘http’) method, Node.js includes http module to the app. Now app is able to access HTTP module.

Line 2:

http.createServer(function (request, response) {    //Line 2

createServer() method creates HTTP server.

Line 3:

response.write("Hello Universe!");              //Line 3

Writes response to the client.

Line 4:

response.end();                                 //Line 4

Ends the response.

Line 5:

}).listen(8080);                                    //Line 5

The server object is listened to port 8080.

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