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A Guide to Setting Up Node.js Projects with npm

Introduction to npm

Setting up Node.js projects with npm (Node Package Manager) in Visual Studio Code (VSC) is a fundamental process for many developers. Below is a comprehensive step-by-step guide to help you set up your Node.js project in VSC using npm:

Prerequisites:

Make sure you have Visual Studio Code and Node.js installed on your system. You can download and install them by following these guides: Install Visual Studio Code and Install Node.js.

Steps:

  • Create a New Folder for Your Project: Open Visual Studio Code and create a new folder where you want to set up your Node.js project. You can do this by navigating to File > Open Folder... and then selecting or creating a new folder.

npm localhost

  • Open Terminal in Visual Studio Code: Once you have your project folder open in Visual Studio Code, you need to open an integrated terminal. You can do this by navigating to View > Terminal.

npm localhost

  • Change Project Directory: In the terminal, navigate to your project directory if you're not already there, using the cd command: 
cd path/to/your/project
  • Initialize Your Project with npm: Now, initialize your project with npm by running the following command in the Terminal (This command will create a package.json file with default values in your project directory):
npm init -y
  • Install Dependencies: You can start installing dependencies for your project using npm. For example, let's install Express.js, a popular Node.js framework. Type the following command in the Terminal:
npm install express
  • Install Dependencies (Multiple): To install multiple dependencies for your project using npm, you can list them all in a single command. For example, let's install Express.js and Body-parser, both popular Node.js packages. Type the following command in the Terminal:
npm install express body-parser
  • Create Your Node.js Application: Now, you can start writing your Node.js application code. Create a new JavaScript file (e.g., app.js) in your project directory and start writing your Node.js code. Let's look at a very simple code:
// app.js
const express = require('express');
const app = express();

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  res.send('Hello, World!');
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server is running on http://localhost:3000');
});
  • Run Your Node.js Application: To run your Node.js application, you can use the integrated terminal in Visual Studio Code. Make sure you're in your project directory, and then type the following command in the Terminal:
node app.js
  • View in Web Browser: Now that the Node.js server is live, you can access it by visiting http://localhost:3000 in your web browser. Simply copy and paste the URL into the address bar at the top of the browser.

npm localhost

  • Congratulations! You have successfully set up a Node.js project using npm in Visual Studio Code.