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JavaScript Express Basics (2015) Getting Started with Express Install Express.js

Posted by Kathryn Notson
Kathryn Notson
25,941 Points

Express Basics > Getting Started with Express > Install Express.js

Huston Hedinger:

I have Windows 10 & have never used the command line prompt or Windows shell. Do I use the command prompt or the command prompt administrator? Do I use the Windows 10 shell? How & where do I place my "Project" folder in my terminal? Do I need to install git on my Windows 10 system, too, before I do this lesson? You didn't mention that in the video. I have Notebook text editor. This is all new to me.

This video lesson was confusing to include zsh & Sublime (which requires a $70.00 fee) since neither were required for this lesson.

5 Answers

Seth Kroger
Seth Kroger
56,413 Points
Seth Kroger
Seth Kroger
56,413 Points

For the basic command line right-click the Start menu and select Command Prompt. There are other shells available for Windows, and Git for Windows comes with "Git Bash" which gives you a bash-style shell, so installing git will give help solve two of your issues. There are also free and open source editors as an alternative to Sublime. Two really good ones are Visual Studio Code and Atom

What I do to place projects is put a make a "Projects" folder in My Documents and have projects in sub-folders there. From the shell you'd cd Documents\Projects to start.

Kathryn Notson
Kathryn Notson
25,941 Points

Seth Kroger:

I know Treehouse has a Github repository for installing Git or Github on Windows, for which the link is in the teacher's notes on an earlier lesson, which I have to relocate in my notes. I can follow those instructions, as long as they are current for Windows 10. Is the Windows 10 shell what I use with git? Which prompt should I use, the command prompt or the command prompt administrator? Does it matter?

Thanks for the information on the free, opens sources text editors. Notebook was installed on my computer when it was purchased.

Thanks for telling me how to find the "Command Prompt" & where I should place my "Projects" folder & how to retrieve it in git within the shell.

I also had a big problem on npm Basics > Installing Packages with npm > Installing Local Packages & npm Basics > Installing Packages with npm > Managing Dependencies in the package.json File. I would appreciate it if you would look at what I posted there & tell me what went wrong. The video lesson in this module is over 1 year old & the "bcrypt", Workspace Python, & "mocha" have been updated since then.

Kathryn Notson
Kathryn Notson
25,941 Points
Kathryn Notson
Kathryn Notson
25,941 Points

Seth Kroger:

I had to go to a local bookstore to find books that would explain using the Windows 10 OS system & the Command Prompt. Unfortunately, the county library doesn't have such books in their collection.

I figured out on my own how to change my directory from the Users directory to the Documents directory using my Command Prompt. I created a Projects folder in my Documents directory. So far so good, until I get into the lesson further.

Kathryn Notson
Kathryn Notson
25,941 Points
Kathryn Notson
Kathryn Notson
25,941 Points

Huston Hedinger:

If the Sublime link in this lesson is downloaded on a Windows 10 OS, is there a $70.00 fee to use Sublime as it's a proprietary text editor?

Jeetlab Giacinti
Jeetlab Giacinti
5,070 Points

Hi Kathryn ,

Sublime text is free to evaluate, however you can get a license by paying the $70 fee. You have a lifetime as evaluation period. Alternatively you can use Brackets or Atom

Kathryn Notson
Kathryn Notson
25,941 Points
Kathryn Notson
Kathryn Notson
25,941 Points

Jeetlab Giancinti:

Thanks. I already have Notepad installed on my Windows 10 OS. I'm new to command line code.

I still need to know how to use my Windows 10 OS Command Prompt. I know Treehouse uses Mac OS 10, but I'm still lost on this module as I can't figure out how to adapt it to do it on my computer. The instructor for this module is no longer at Treehouse.

Jeetlab Giacinti
Jeetlab Giacinti
5,070 Points

Hi Kathryn, To open the command prompt, you need to press the 'windows' key along with 'R'. Then you get the Run Command box. There type 'cmd' and press the 'Enter' key. Voila !! you have your very own command prompt ! :-).

In command prompt you need to browse to your project folder is 'cd'(change command). (You can get a full list of windows commands here ).

Alternatively if you have already installed node.js in your computer, then you may try node's own command prompt. Thats pretty cool.

Good luck

Kathryn Notson
Kathryn Notson
25,941 Points
Kathryn Notson
Kathryn Notson
25,941 Points

Jeetlab Giacinti:

Thanks for the Windows command link. However, since there is no "ls" (list) command in Windows 10 OS, what do I use?

I do know how to get to my Windows 10 OS Command Prompt. The part I'm struggling with is maneuvering through the console/terminal according to the Express.js module lessons. I need to know how to do the entire Express.js module using my own Windows 10 OS console/terminal since no Treehouse Workspace was created for the Express.js module. (Treehouse uses Mac X OS, but the Treehouse Workspace is Ubuntu Linux, I think, which runs on Python on the back end. I can't duplicate the Workspace environment on my console/terminal.)