Node.js is a JavaScript runtime built on Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine that allows developers to run JavaScript on the server-side. It provides an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model, making it lightweight and efficient.
Key Features:
- Asynchronous and Event-Driven: Node.js uses callbacks and events to handle asynchronous operations, making it ideal for real-time web applications.
- Non-Blocking I/O: Node.js performs I/O operations without blocking the main thread, allowing it to handle multiple requests concurrently.
- JavaScript Runtime: Node.js allows developers to run JavaScript on the server-side, making it a popular choice for full-stack JavaScript development.
- NPM (Node Package Manager): Node.js has a vast ecosystem of packages and modules, making it easy to find and install dependencies for projects.
Use Cases:
- Real-time Web Applications: Node.js is well-suited for real-time web applications, such as live updates, gaming, and chatbots.
- APIs and Microservices: Node.js is a popular choice for building RESTful APIs and microservices due to its lightweight and efficient nature.
- Server-side Rendering: Node.js can be used for server-side rendering, allowing developers to render JavaScript templates on the server.
Using Ubuntu (Node.js 22)
1) Install curl:
sudo apt-get install -y curl
2) Download the setup script:
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x -o nodesource_setup.sh
3) Run the setup script with sudo:
sudo -E bash nodesource_setup.sh
4) Install Node.js:
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs
5) Verify the installation
node -v
Useful Links: