nodejs
  1. nodejs-features

Node.js Features

Node.js is a popular runtime environment for executing server-side JavaScript. It is built on top of the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine and provides a rich set of features for building scalable and high-performance web applications. In this tutorial, we'll discuss some of the key features of Node.js.

Syntax

Node.js uses the JavaScript programming language, which follows the syntax rules of ECMAScript. The syntax of Node.js is the same as JavaScript, with some additional built-in modules and libraries.

Example

Here's an example of a simple HTTP server written in Node.js:

const http = require('http');

const hostname = '127.0.0.1';
const port = 3000;

const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
  res.statusCode = 200;
  res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain');
  res.end('Hello World\n');
});

server.listen(port, hostname, () => {
  console.log(`Server running at http://${hostname}:${port}/`);
});

This example creates an HTTP server that listens on port 3000 and responds to requests with a simple "Hello World" message.

Output

When you run this example, you'll see the following output:

Server running at http://127.0.0.1:3000/

You can then access the HTTP server by opening a web browser and navigating to http://127.0.0.1:3000/.

Explanation

In the example above, we created an HTTP server using the built-in http module in Node.js. We first defined the hostname and port number that the server should listen on.

Next, we created the server using the createServer method and passed in a callback function that handles the incoming requests. In this case, we set the response status code to 200, set the Content-Type header to text/plain, and sent a simple "Hello World" message as the response body.

Finally, we started the server by calling the listen method and passing in the hostname and port number.

Use

Node.js is commonly used for building server-side web applications, such as web servers, APIs, and microservices. It is also used for building command-line tools and desktop applications.

Node.js is great for building scalable and high-performance applications, thanks to its non-blocking I/O model. It is also great for building real-time applications, such as chat apps and online games, thanks to its ability to handle a large number of concurrent connections.

Important Points

  • Node.js is built on top of the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine, which provides fast and efficient performance.
  • Node.js provides a rich set of built-in modules and libraries for building web applications, such as the http, https, and fs modules.
  • Node.js uses a non-blocking I/O model, which allows it to handle a large number of concurrent connections without blocking the event loop.
  • Node.js supports the use of npm (Node Package Manager), which provides access to thousands of open-source libraries and modules.

Summary

In this tutorial, we discussed some of the key features of Node.js. We covered the syntax, example, output, explanation, use, and important points of Node.js. With this knowledge, you can begin building server-side web applications using Node.js and take advantage of its rich set of built-in modules and libraries, fast performance, and non-blocking I/O model.

Published on: