Using Node.js

The entire purpose of Node.js is to execute JavaScript code. Open a command prompt, navigate to a convenient location, and create a folder named tools. Add a file named hello.js to the tools folder, with the content shown in Listing 2.4:

Listing 2.4: The Contents of the hello.js File in the tools Folder

console.log("Hello, World");

The Node.js API has some features that are also provided by modern JavaScript browsers, including the console.log method, which writes a message to the console. Run the command shown in Listing 2.5 in the tools folder to execute the JavaScript code:

Listing 2.5: Executing the JavaScript Code

node hello.js

The node command starts the Node.js runtime and executes the specified JavaScript file, producing the following output:

Hello, World

That’s all there is to know about executing JavaScript code. The rest of the functionality that Node.js provides is delivered through an API, which is described...