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JavaScript

What exactly is Node.js?

I realize they talk a little about it in the videos but I don't know what it is

2 Answers

Kevin Korte
Kevin Korte
28,149 Points

It is, in short a back end web application "framework" built in javascript. It's not really a back end language, cause it is javascript, what we've used on the front end forever, but Node.js is a framework for lack of a better work that allows javascript to run on the server, and do server like things.

Cool. Thanks. How can I use it outside Workspace?

also to add a side note you might want to check out express js as well which is the frame work for node js

William Li
PLUS
William Li
Courses Plus Student 26,868 Points

Cristian Castro

It's pretty easy actually, all you need to do is go to https://nodejs.org/en/ and download the installer and install it on your system. That's it.

Alternatively, if you're on Linux/Mac, you may use sth like nvm. One advantage of nvm is that it makes managing and switching between different versions of Node.js very simple.