Ultimate Node.js Tutorial: Everything You Need to Get Started

Welcome to Tpoint Tech’s Ultimate Node.js Tutorial, your one-stop guide to mastering backend development with JavaScript. Whether you’re a beginner or someone looking to sharpen your skills, this tutorial covers the essentials you need to start building powerful server-side applications.

What is Node.js?

Before diving into coding, let’s understand the basics—What is Node.js?

Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform runtime environment that allows developers to run JavaScript on the server side. Built on Google Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine, Node.js enables fast, scalable network applications. Unlike traditional server-side languages, Node.js uses a non-blocking, event-driven architecture, making it ideal for I/O-heavy operations like web servers, APIs, and real-time applications.

In simple terms, Node.js lets you use JavaScript to build the backend of your web application—something that was traditionally done using languages like PHP, Python, or Java.

Why Use Node.js?

• ✅ Fast and efficient due to the V8 engine
• ✅ Uses JavaScript, making it easy for frontend developers to transition
• ✅ Great support for asynchronous programming
• ✅ Large ecosystem with npm (Node Package Manager)
• ✅ Ideal for building REST APIs and real-time apps

Setting Up Node.js

To begin this Node.js Tutorial, follow these steps:

1. Install Node.js

Visit the official Node.js website at https://nodejs.org and download the LTS version for your operating system.

After installation, verify it with:

node -v
npm -v

node -v gives you the installed Node.js version
npm -v checks the Node Package Manager version

2. Your First Node.js Program

Let’s create your first Hello World app using Node.js.

📁 Create a file called app.js:

// app.js
console.log("Hello, welcome to Tpoint Tech's Node.js Tutorial!");

Now run the file using the command:

node app.js

You should see the message printed in your terminal.

3. Creating a Simple Web Server

Node.js has a built-in module called http that allows you to create a web server.

🧑‍💻 Example: Basic HTTP Server

// server.js
const http = require('http');

const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
  res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain' });
  res.end('Hello from Tpoint Tech Node.js Tutorial!');
});

server.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server running at http://localhost:3000/');
});

Run this with:

node server.js

Visit http://localhost:3000 in your browser, and you'll see the response.

4. Using npm and External Packages

npm (Node Package Manager) allows you to manage packages and dependencies.

📦 Example: Installing the chalk package to style console output

npm init -y
npm install chalk

Then use it in your project:

// colorful.js
const chalk = require('chalk');

console.log(chalk.blue('Welcome to the colorful world of Node.js!'));

This will print the text in blue!

5. Creating a Simple REST API

Let’s build a minimal REST API using the Express.js framework (a popular Node.js library).

Install Express:

npm install express

Code: api.js

const express = require('express');
const app = express();
const PORT = 3000;

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  res.send('Welcome to Tpoint Tech Node.js Tutorial API!');
});

app.get('/about', (req, res) => {
  res.send('This is a tutorial about What is Node.js and how to use it.');
});

app.listen(PORT, () => {
  console.log(`Server is running at http://localhost:${PORT}`);
});

Start your server:

node api.js

Now, visiting http://localhost:3000/about shows your API in action.

6. File System Operations

Node.js makes working with files easy via the fs module.

Example: Reading a file

const fs = require('fs');

fs.readFile('example.txt', 'utf8', (err, data) => {
  if (err) throw err;
  console.log(data);
});

Create a file named example.txt and put some text inside. Run your script and see the content displayed.

7. Real-Time Applications with Socket.io

Node.js is excellent for real-time features like chat apps. Using Socket.io, you can enable two-way communication between client and server.

(We'll cover Socket.io in-depth in a future Tpoint Tech Node.js Tutorial – stay tuned!)

Conclusion

Node.js is a powerful platform that brings JavaScript to the backend, enabling fast and scalable web applications. In this Node.js Tutorial from Tpoint Tech, we covered:

• What is Node.js
• Setting up your environment
• Creating basic apps and servers
• Using npm
• Building a REST API with Express
• Performing file system tasks

Whether you're building APIs, microservices, or real-time chat apps, Node.js offers the tools and performance needed to bring your ideas to life.