Getting Started with NodeJs

Here's a step-by-step guide to starting a Node.js project:

1. Install Node.js and npm

• Download and install Node.js from nodejs.org (npm is included).

Verify installation:
node -v

npm -v

2. Initialize Your Project

Create a project folder and navigate into it:
mkdir my-node-project

cd my-node-project

Initialize the project (creates package.json):
npm init -y  # -y skips prompts and uses defaults

3. Install Dependencies

Install packages (e.g., Express.js):
npm install express  # Example for a web server

Install dev tools (optional):
npm install --save-dev nodemon  # Auto-reloads server during development

4. Project Structure

Create basic files/directories:

  my-node-project/

   ├── node_modules/

   ├── src/

   │   ├── index.js      # Main entry file

   │   ├── routes/      # API routes (optional)

   │   └── public/      # Static files (optional)

   ├── package.json

   └── .gitignore

5. Write Your First Code

In src/index.js:
const express = require('express');

const app = express();

const port = 3000;

app.get('/', (req, res) => {

  res.send('Hello World!');

});

app.listen(port, () => {

  console.log(`Server running at http://localhost:${port}`);

});

6. Configure Scripts

In package.json, add:

  "scripts": {

     "start": "node src/index.js",

     "dev": "nodemon src/index.js"  # If using nodemon

   }

7. Run the Project

For production:
npm start

For development (with nodemon):
npm run dev

8. Version Control (Optional)

Initialize Git:
git init

Create .gitignore:
node_modules/

.env

9. Environment Variables (Optional)

Install dotenv:
npm install dotenv

Create .env file:
PORT=3000

Load in code:
require('dotenv').config();

const port = process.env.PORT;

Next Steps:

• Build REST APIs with Express.js

• Connect to a database (e.g., MongoDB, PostgreSQL)

• Add authentication (e.g., JWT, Passport.js)

• Write tests with Jest/Mocha

• Deploy to platforms like Heroku, AWS, or Vercel

Let me know if you'd like details on any specific part! 🚀