What is node.js ?
In order to understand node.js it is first good to understand Javascript its history and how we use it in modern-day web development.
JavaScript is a programming language commonly used for creating interactive and dynamic elements on websites. It was developed in the mid-1990s and has since become one of the most widely used programming languages for web development.
JavaScript is primarily used on the client side, meaning it runs in the user's web browser. It enables web developers to enhance the functionality of web pages by adding interactivity, validating user input, manipulating HTML content, and dynamically updating the page without requiring a full page reload.
Some key features and benefits of JavaScript include:
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Scripting language: JavaScript is a lightweight, interpreted language, meaning it does not need to be compiled before execution. It is executed line by line as the web page loads.
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Object-oriented: JavaScript supports object-oriented programming (OOP) principles, allowing developers to create and manipulate objects to represent real-world entities.
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Event-driven programming: JavaScript is often used to handle user interactions such as mouse clicks, keyboard input, and form submissions. It enables developers to define event handlers that respond to these actions.
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DOM manipulation: JavaScript provides access to the Document Object Model (DOM), which represents the structure of a web page. Developers can use JavaScript to modify the DOM, adding, removing, or modifying HTML elements and their attributes.
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Cross-platform compatibility: JavaScript is supported by all major web browsers and can run on multiple operating systems, making it a versatile language for web development.
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Extensibility: JavaScript can be extended through the use of libraries and frameworks. Numerous libraries, such as jQuery, React, and Vue.js, provide additional functionality and simplify common web development tasks.
In addition to client-side scripting, JavaScript can also be used on the server side with the help of platforms like Node.js. This allows developers to build full-stack applications using the same programming language for both the front end and back end.
node.js
Traditionally javascript was good for front-end web tasks as mentioned above. It wasn't good at back-end tasks like accessing the computer's file system, interacting directly with the database, or sending an automated email. However, since the introduction of a technology called node.js, all this is now possible and widely used with javascript.
What is node.js?
Node.js is an open-source, server-side runtime environment that allows developers to run JavaScript code outside of a web browser. Node.js uses the JavaScript engine, which is developed by Google and also used in the Chrome browser, to execute JavaScript code on the server.
Here are some key features and characteristics of Node.js:
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Asynchronous and event-driven: Node.js can handle a large number of concurrent connections efficiently, making it suitable for building scalable and high-performance applications.
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Server-side programming: Node.js is primarily used for server-side development, allowing developers to build web servers and network applications using JavaScript.
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NPM (Node Package Manager): NPM is a package manager for Node.js that allows developers to easily install, manage, and share reusable JavaScript code packages.
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Full-stack JavaScript: With Node.js, developers can use JavaScript as the programming language for both the front end (client-side) and back end (server-side) of an application.
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Microservices and APIs: Node.js is well-suited for building microservices architectures and developing APIs (Application Programming Interfaces).
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Community and ecosystem: Node.js has a vibrant and active community of developers, which has contributed to a rich ecosystem of modules, libraries, and frameworks. Popular frameworks like Express.js, Nest.js, and Hapi.js provide additional features and abstractions to simplify web development with Node.js.
Node.js has been widely adopted by companies and developers around the world due to its performance, scalability, and versatility. It has found applications in various domains, including web servers, real-time applications, streaming services, blockchain services, and wallets plus much more.
In summary, node.js is a javascript runtime that allows us to do just about anything with JavaScript.
Installing node.js
To install node.js visit the following website here
Verify node.js is installed on Ubuntu
Run : npm --version