Day 1 of NodeJS || Introduction

#webdev #node #beginners #tutorial

Hey reader 😊 Excited huh!!😁
From today (16/07/2024) we are going to start our NodeJS series🥳. In this series we are going to cover everything. we will start from very basic and will take it to advanced level.
Prerequisites-:

Basic understanding of JavaScript.
Understanding of Synchronous and Asynchronous Programming. You can read above stuff from here👉https://dev.to/akshat0610/javascript-series-log-3mp7 In this blog I am going to give you an Introduction of NodeJS. So let's get started 🔥

What is NodeJs?

Node.js is an open source and cross platfrom JS runtime environment. It enables us to execute JS code on server side ,handling tasks such as server side scripting ,networking ,file operations etc.
Node.js is a cross platfrom JS runtime environment this means that Node.js can run outside of a web browser , which means we can use JavaScript for server side programming and Node.js is cross platfrom that is it is compatible for different operating systems.
Now we are seeing two words here Server and Web Browsers, what they actually are🤔. Let's see-:

Server -: A server is a computer system or a software system that provides services or resources to other computers or clients over network. They often host websites ,web applications, APIs, databases and other resources. They are responsible for processing requests , executing code and managing data storage and retrieval.

Browser -: A browser is a software application used to access and view information on World Wide Web. They interpret and render web pages written in HTML,CSS and JS. Browers send requests to servers to retrieve web pages and other resources.

Node.js runs the V8 JS engine , the core of Google Chrome ,outside the browser. The V8 engine is an open-source JavaScript engine developed by Google for the Chrome web browser. The V8 engine is written in C++ and is highly optimized for performance. It compiles JavaScript code into machine code directly, rather than interpreting it line by line, which helps to achieve high execution speeds. Node.js leverages the V8 engine to execute JavaScript code outside of the browser, making it fast and efficient for server-side applications.

History of NodeJS

The history of Node.js is fascinating! It all began in 2009, when Ryan Dahl created the first version of Node.js. He wanted to create a fast and lightweight runtime environment for JavaScript, and he chose to use the Google Chrome V8 JavaScript engine as the foundation for Node.js. The first release of Node.js was met with great enthusiasm by developers, and it quickly gained popularity as a platform for developing server-side applications.

Later in 2011 , npm (Node Package Manager) was introduced, becoming the default package manager for Node.js. npm provided a vast ecosystem of reusable modules and libraries, greatly accelerating the development process for Node.js developers.

In all of these years different versions of Node.js have been introduced and various useful features have been added. The latest version of Node.js is Node v22.0.0 released on 24/04/2024 .

Advantages of Node.js

Fast and Scalable: Node.js is built on the V8 JavaScript engine from Google, which compiles JavaScript directly into machine code, resulting in lightning-fast execution. Its event-driven, non-blocking I/O model allows for handling multiple requests simultaneously, making it highly scalable.
Single Language: With Node.js, you can use JavaScript on both the client and server-side, streamlining development and reducing context-switching between different languages.
Large Ecosystem: Node.js has a vast ecosystem of libraries and frameworks available via npm (Node Package Manager), the largest ecosystem of open-source libraries in the world. This allows developers to leverage existing solutions for various tasks, reducing development time and effort.
Asynchronous and Non-blocking: Node.js uses asynchronous, non-blocking I/O operations, allowing it to handle concurrent connections efficiently. This makes it ideal for building real-time applications such as chat apps, gaming platforms, and streaming services.
Community Support: Node.js has a vibrant and active community of developers, contributors, and enthusiasts who continually improve the platform, provide support, and share knowledge through forums, meetups, and online communities.
Cross-platform: Node.js is cross-platform, meaning it can run on various operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Linux. This flexibility allows developers to build applications that can run seamlessly across different environments.
Microservices Architecture: Node.js is well-suited for microservices architecture, where applications are composed of small, independent services that can be developed, deployed, and scaled independently. Its lightweight nature and efficient handling of I/O make it an excellent choice for building microservices-based applications.
Real-time Web Applications: Node.js excels at building real-time web applications that require constant communication between the client and server, such as online gaming platforms, collaborative editing tools, and live chat applications.
Performance Monitoring and Debugging: Node.js comes with built-in tools for performance monitoring and debugging, such as the Node.js Inspector and various profiling tools. These tools make it easier for developers to diagnose and optimize their applications for better performance.
Enterprise Adoption: Many large enterprises and tech giants such as Netflix, PayPal, LinkedIn, and Uber have adopted Node.js for their backend systems, demonstrating its reliability, scalability, and performance in production environments.

In summary, Node.js offers a potent combination of speed, scalability, flexibility, and a thriving ecosystem, making it an ideal choice for building modern, high-performance web applications.

Note that we shouldn’t use Node.js in CPU intensive applications.

In summary Node.js has made it easy for everyone by providing single language for both frontend and backend. It has made web development way easier.

I hope you have understood what Node.js is and it’s importance .We will see more about it in next articles. Till then stay connected. Don’t forget to follow me 😄.
Thankyou 🤍