Getting Started with Node.js

Projected Time

90 minutes

Prerequisites

• How the Internet Works
• Intro to HTTP

Motivation

This lab exercise will introduce Node.js, a powerful tool that lets you run JavaScript outside of the browser, in your terminal or editor, or even to run servers.

Objectives

Participants will be able to:

• Install Node
• Run commands in Node’s REPL
• Run a whole JavaScript file

Materials

• Node.js official page
• NodeJS Tutorial for Absolute Beginners

Lesson

• Node.js lecture slides (includes videos)
• Node.js video walkthrough of lecture slides

Independent Practice

• Node.js lab exercise, Part 1

Check for Understanding

After the lab exercise, participants should write down in their own words the steps they went through to create this basic web app using Node. It should be of good quality so they can refer to it later.

Participants should take turns in their pairs reading through and interpreting the app.js file line by line.

Supplemental Materials

• Be aware of how to find Node’s API docs, and briefly familiarize yourself with its structure. You don’t need to read it all now!
• Be aware that one way to install Node is by downloading it directly from their website. However, we are not using this method; we’re using nvm.
• The beginner’s guide: Understanding Node.js & Express.js fundamentals
• Why learn Node.js? (video)
• 8 Reasons to use Node.js (video)
• The definitive Node.js handbook
• What Node.js is and isn’t (video)
• Why use Node.js? (video)
• Introducing the Node.js REPL (video - only through 1:56)