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Introduction to Node.js - What Is Node.js?
What Is Node.js?
Difficulty
Beginner
Duration
2m
Students
171
Ratings
3/5
Description

This short course offers an introduction to what exactly is Node.js.

Learning Objectives

  • Learn how Chrome processes JavaScript
  • Learn how Node is directly related to Chrome

Intended Audience

This course is intended for anyone who wants to learn about Node.js.

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course but an interest in Node.js would be beneficial.

Transcript

Introduction to Node.js - What is Node.js?  Currently, on the screen, I have the Chrome console open. For demonstration purposes, I'm going to create a subtract function. function subtract(num0ne, numTwo), and I'm going to {console.log(num0ne - numTwo). Now I'm going to execute the subtract function. subtract, passing into arguments 5 and 3. I will hit 'Enter' to execute.

Now there is a number 2, which is the result in the console. The result was handled by Chrome's JavaScript engine known as the V8 engine, and every browser has its own JavaScript engine. For example, Firefox uses the SpiderMonkey engine, and different JavaScript engines take different approaches on how JavaScript code is executed. When Chrome is given JavaScript code, the browser sends the code to the V8 engine. 

The V8 engine processes the code and returns the results back to the browser. The JavaScript engine is the independent runtime environment in which JavaScript executes. Browser features such as the DOM and Web APIs are provided by the browser and designed to work in conjunction with the JavaScript engine. And this leads to the question, what is Node.js?

Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform, backend JavaScript runtime that runs on the V8 engine and executes JavaScript code outside of the web browser. Meaning we've taken this and turned it into this. And that's it. Thanks for watching at CloudAcademy.

 

About the Author
Students
7015
Labs
24
Courses
73
Learning Paths
31

Farish has worked in the EdTech industry for over six years. He is passionate about teaching valuable coding skills to help individuals and enterprises succeed.

Previously, Farish worked at 2U Inc in two concurrent roles. Farish worked as an adjunct instructor for 2U’s full-stack boot camps at UCLA and UCR. Farish also worked as a curriculum engineer for multiple full-stack boot camp programs. As a curriculum engineer, Farish’s role was to create activities, projects, and lesson plans taught in the boot camps used by over 50 University partners. Along with these duties, Farish also created nearly 80 videos for the full-stack blended online program.

Before 2U, Farish worked at Codecademy for over four years, both as a content creator and part of the curriculum experience team.

Farish is an avid powerlifter, sushi lover, and occasional Funko collector.