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Edison Ade
Edison Ade

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Node JS 101: What is Node Js

What is all the fuss about Node Js?

Companies are in awe of the speed at which Node.js functions. It runs on the V8 engine developed by Google that uses JavaScript into native machine code and operates at super speed

LinkedIn opted for Node.js from Ruby on Rails to serve their mobile traffic and that reduced the number of servers from 30 to 3 and made the applications 20 times swifter. PayPal recorded a 35% decline in their response time at the same time doubled requests per second after using Node.js applications.

Companies such as PayPal, Uber, Netflix Walmart, Yahoo, etc. rely on Node for a large chunk of their application portfolio. Node Js speed is amazing.

Are you convinced it is worth learning? Yes? Ok great!

What is Node JS?

Node is a cross-platform, run-time environment for executing JavaScript code outside of a browser. Node is not a programming language or a framework. It is a run-time environment for executing JavaScript codes. 10-15 years back, JavaScript was only functional on client side applications, today you can build full stack (front and back end application) without leaving the JavaScript environment.

NodeJS is Javascript outside of the Browser.

In 2009, Ryan Dahl took Google Chrome's V8 engine, which is normally confined to a browser, added an event loop, package manager and a low level I/O API, embedded inside a C++ program and ran on his computer. Node.js opened a whole new world what JavaScript could do: access the files, listen to network traffic and HTTP requests, access databases directly, etc.

Node.js, basically, allows JavaScript to do anything one could with PHP , Ruby on Rails, or Python

What can you build with Node?

  • Chat applications/servers
  • Your version of Google Hangout or Skype?
  • Instant messaging services apps
  • Full eCommerce platforms
  • Online gaming apps
  • Netflix
  • The list is endless.....

    How to download and install Node

    go to https://nodejs.org
    In most cases download the stable version. i.e recommended for most users.

    Follow the installation instructions on this website to guide you.

    https://www.guru99.com/download-install-node-js.html
    Congratulations! you just installed Node. Let us check on our command prompt if node was installed. To check if Node was successfully installed, type node -v on your command prompt or node --version

    Top comments (2)

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    alokoct21 profile image
    Alok Kumar

    great

    How the node js works?

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    calvinoea profile image
    Calvin

    Nice introduction to Node JS!