introduction to Node.js || node js is a free and open source server environment. It was initially released in 2009 by Ryan Dahl and has since become one of the most popular technologies for building scalable, high-performance web applications.
Node.js allows developers to use JavaScript on the server-side, which was previously only possible on the client-side in web browsers. This means that developers can now use a single programming language for both front-end and back-end development, which can increase productivity and code maintainability.
Node.js also has a vast ecosystem of third-party packages and modules, known as the Node Package Manager (npm), which provides developers with a wide range of tools and libraries.
Node.js is a powerful and versatile technology that has revolutionized the way developers build web applications, and its popularity continues to grow as more and more developers discover its benefits.
Node latest version is 19.8.1
how does it differ from traditional web development?
- Language: Node.js uses JavaScript for both client-side and server-side development, whereas traditional web development typically uses different languages for each.
- Non-blocking I/O: Node.js uses a non-blocking I/O model, which allows it to handle multiple requests simultaneously without blocking the event loop. Traditional web development typically uses a blocking I/O model, which can lead to performance issues when handling a large number of concurrent connections.
- Scalability: Node.js is highly scalable due to its event-driven architecture and non-blocking I/O model. Traditional web development often requires complex scaling strategies to handle a large number of concurrent connections.
- Performance: Node.js is built on the V8 JavaScript engine, which provides fast performance and low memory consumption. Traditional web development may use languages that are not as optimized for performance.
- Development speed: Node.js has a vast ecosystem of modules and packages, known as the Node Package Manager (npm), which allows developers to quickly build web applications with less code. Traditional web development may require more manual coding and customization.
Also Read This:- difference between java and c++
installing node js
Node Js installation step on your computer.
- Go to the official Node.js website at https://nodejs.org
- Click on the “Download” button on the homepage to download the latest version of Node.js for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
- Run the installer file and follow the installation instructions.
- Once the installation is complete, open a command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type “node -v” to check if Node.js is installed and working properly. This command should display the version number of Node.js that you just installed.
Alternatively, if you prefer to use a package manager to install Node.js, you can use the following commands :
open the terminal and write the code on mac Os and Linux Os :
sudo apt-get install nodejs
open the terminal and write the code on Windows OS :
choco install nodejs
This will install the latest version of Node.js using the Chocolatey package manager for Windows.
Once Node.js is installed, you should set the path of the node js in the system environment.
then you can start using it to build server-side applications using JavaScript.
this is basic introduction to node js we will start how to create a web application in the next blog