Search⌘ K
AI Features

Running Node.js and Writing Basic Scripts

Explore how to use Node.js in an interactive mode with the REPL to run JavaScript code instantly. Learn to write and execute basic JavaScript scripts using the node command. This lesson equips you with foundational skills to begin working with server-side JavaScript and Node.js.

Node.js is a runtime environment, so it doesn't have its own graphical interface. We interact with Node.js through a command-line interface (CLI). In this lesson, we’ll learn to run Node.js, use its interactive environment (REPL), and create a basic script. Once we’re comfortable with this, we’ll have taken our first steps into server-side JavaScript.

Running Node.js in interactive mode (REPL)

The Node.js REPL lets us interact with JavaScript directly. REPL stands for Read-Eval-Print Loop:

  • Read: It reads the input.

  • Eval: It evaluates the input as ...