Node.js is an event-based, asynchronous I/O framework that uses Google's V8 JavaScript engine.
Node.js is an event-based, asynchronous I/O framework that uses Google's V8 JavaScript Engine.
Node.js — or just Node, as it's commonly called — is used for developing applications that make heavy use of the ability to run JavaScript both on the client, as well as on server side and therefore benefit from the re-usability of code and the lack of context switching.
It's also possible to use matured JavaScript frameworks like YUI and jQuery for server-side DOM manipulation.
To ease the development of complex JavaScript further, Node.js supports the CommonJS standard that allows for modularized development and the distribution of software in packages via the Node Package Manager.
Applications that can be written using Node.js include, but are not limited to:
- Static file servers
- Web Application frameworks
- Messaging middleware
- Servers for HTML5 multi player games
When asking questions about Node.js, you should:
- Make sure to check the official API documentation before asking, your question might be trivial.
- Isolate the problem and reproduce it with as little code as possible, if you can also use an online tool like JSApp for that, it's even better.
- If the question has nothing to do with anything that's Node.js specific, please consider asking it as a javascript question instead.
- Mention which version of Node.js you are running. When in doubt, use
node -v. - Make sure to only use the node.js tag, since node is ambiguous.
Interesting Questions and Answers
Useful Links
- Official API documentation
- Official GitHub Account
- Official GitHub Wiki - Containing a great amount of links to Node.js based projects
- Official Installation Guide
- Installation Without Sudo
- Installing Node.js (howtonode.org)
- Installing Node.js via package manager
- Debugging Node.js with node-inspector
- #node.js IRC channel for getting help
- Article - the rise and rise of Node.js
- Web Hosting Node.js applications
- Wikipedia Page
- Usage examples
Tutorials, Guides and Books
- Absolute Beginners Guide to Node.js
- Node.js Guide
- Node Tuts (Video Tutorials)
- Mastering Node.js (Open Source Node eBook)
- Node Beginner
- Node.js app using Windows Azure
- PowerShell for Windows Azure - Node.js
- Node Manual (One source for API, Node.js Guide and Mozilla's JavaScript reference. Code examples run in Cloud 9 IDE)
- NodeCasts (Free screencasts)
Talks and Presentations on Node.js
- Node.js Camp Sessions @ Node.js Camp 2010 (Dec 2010)
- Node.js + YUI3 @ YUIConf 2010 (Nov 2010)
- Interview with Ryan Dahl @ QCon San Francisco 2010 (Nov 2010)
- Current Road-map for Node.js @ YUIConf 2010 (Nov 2010)
- Techniques for a single stack world @ JSConf.eu (Sep 2010)
- JavaScript on the Server @ GoogleTechTalks (July 2010)
- Introducion to Node.js @ YUI Theater (May 2010)
Free Node.js Books and Resources
Chat Room
- Chat about Node.js with other Stack Overflow users here
