Node.js Projects

Chapter 1. Introduction and Setup

This chapter is your guide to setting up a development environment for Node.js. It covers the core tools needed, such as VS Code, Node.js, and Fastify, along with optional components to enhance your workflow. While tools like Fastify are more specialized, feel free to skip their setup for now and revisit those sections when they are covered in later chapters.

You’ll find various installation methods explained, including using a graphical user interface (GUI), third-party tools, or binary packages. Binary installations, while sometimes precompiled, may require extra steps for extraction and configuration, making them particularly useful for servers without a graphical interface. Although the provided instructions are tailored to the tools recommended for this book, you’re welcome to use alternatives that meet your development needs. The goal is to equip you with a solid foundation to start coding and running your Node.js applications effectively.

Note

For the sake of economy, throughout the remainder of this book, we’ll refer to Node.js simply as Node.

Before writing your first line of code, it’s important to choose a text editor that supports modern JavaScript development and integrates well with Node tooling.

Installing VS Code

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a popular open source text editor, widely recommended for Node development due to its robust features, flexibility, and extensive customization options. This section will guide you through ...