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Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform, JavaScript runtime built on Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine that executes JavaScript code outside a web browser.
Node.js lets developers use JavaScript to write server-side code to produce dynamic web page.
Node.js was written initially by Ryan Dahl in 2009 to eliminate the limited possibilities of the most popular web server.
Node.js was initially supported only Linux and Mac OS X and later in June 2011, Microsoft and Joyent implemented a native Windows version of Node.js.
In January 2010, a package manager was introduced for the Node.js environment called npm.
The package manager makes it easier for programmers to publish and share source code of Node.js packages and is designed to simplify installation, updating, and uninstallation of packages.
For example, if you want to hash your users password, you don't have to write a lines of code and spend hours of your time. All you need to do is just install bcrypt globally in your local machine and require that file in your index.js (main file) and then use it.
In this tutorial, we will explain most of the essential npm packages.
The following are the list of benefits you will get if you opt to use Node.js for your applications.
Node.js is best suitable for the following applications
The following are the list of customers using Node.js:
Before starting Node.js, you are requested to know JavaScript. Because, Node.js is a JavaScript for server-side coding.