Installing Node.js and Visual Studio Code

Downloading Node.js

• Open a web browser and search for Node.js.
• Click on the first link from nodejs.org.
• Latest version (as of this video): 14.16.1 LTS
  • Recommended to choose the LTS version for stability.
• Click on the 14.16.1 LTS option to download the MSI file.

Installing Node.js

• Once downloaded, click on the MSI file to start the installation wizard.
• Click Next, read the license agreement, and click Accept.
• Leave the installation location as default unless changes are necessary.
• Optional: Check the box to install tools for native modules (includes Chocolaty utility).
• Click Next and then Install.
• Confirm any prompts that appear during installation.
• Wait for installation to finish; you will see a success message.
• Click Finish to complete the installation.

Testing Node.js Installation

• Open the Node.js command prompt or PowerShell.
• Type node and press Enter to open Node REPL (Read, Evaluate, Print, Loop).
• Test basic commands:
  • Example: console.log('Hello World');
  • Perform arithmetic operations or import modules.
• To exit REPL, press Ctrl + C twice or type .exit.

Creating a Node.js File

• Navigate to the desired folder.
• Enable file name extensions in the view menu.
• Right-click and create a new text document; rename it to hello.js.
• Use a text editor to write Node.js code.
  • Example code to start a server on localhost:3000.
• Save the file.
• Open PowerShell or command prompt in the folder containing hello.js.
• Run the file using: node hello.js.
• Access the server in a browser at localhost:3000 to verify.

Installing Visual Studio Code

• Search for Visual Studio Code in a web browser.
• Click on the first link to code.visualstudio.com.
• Download the executable file for installation.

Setting Up Visual Studio Code

• Run the downloaded setup file.
• Accept the agreement and proceed through the setup steps.
• Customize options (create desktop icon, add context menu options, etc.) before installing.
• Launch Visual Studio Code after installation.

Using Visual Studio Code for Node.js Development

• Open a terminal in Visual Studio Code using Terminal > New Terminal.
• You can increase font size using Ctrl + + and decrease with Ctrl + -.
• Create and edit hello.js directly within Visual Studio Code.
• Run Node.js code directly in the integrated terminal.

Visual Studio Code Features

• Search and replace text across multiple files.
• Integrated Git source control for tracking changes.
• Built-in debugging support for Node.js.
• Manage breakpoints and variable visualization during debugging.
• Extensions support for additional functionalities (search for Node.js related extensions).

Conclusion

• Successfully set up Node.js and Visual Studio Code for development.
• Future videos will cover further coding and debugging practices.