Notes on Node.js: Dipping My Toes In

I started using exercism.io this morning after hearing about it on Code Newbies, mainly to get more practice with Python. I’m also learning JavaScript as well and, seeing there was a JS track, I thought I’d have a glance at it, and inadvertently started using node.js, something I’ve wanted to do for a while now. I got that new ‘don’t quite understand but feel real excited’ feeling.

As far as my understanding goes node.js is basically JavaScript, the programming language of the web, on a computer, desktop/laptop/server etc., rather than in a browser. It’s easy enough to work out how to install node.js so I won’t go into that here. I started out with a Hello World exercise, as you do. I gotta say, it looked strange, no $(document).ready() here, and I did end up sneaking a peek here. I really didn’t know where to start with fixing the given code to make the tests pass, my mind was going down overly complicated unorganised paths, and I figured I’d be better off working backwards. Which is what this will be a part of, break apart the code, understand the parts.

So, anyway, this is the code.

'use strict';

var HelloWorld = function() {};

HelloWorld.prototype.hello = function(name) {
  name = name || 'world';
  return 'Hello, ' + name + '!';
};

module.exports = HelloWorld;

var helloWorld = new HelloWorld();

The var & function stuff I understand, but strict? prototypes? module.exports? Wha’fu’?

What was interesting was running it. Just like Python really; node .\hello-world.js in the CLI. Let’s stick a console.log('Hello node, whaddya know?') in there:

 > node .\hello-world.js
Hello node, whaddya know?

Cool, huh? And to run the tests:

 > jasmine-node .\hello-world.js


Finished in 0 seconds
0 tests, 0 assertions, 0 failures, 0 skipped

So, it’s basic, it’s obvious, but it’s blowin’ my mind just a bit. I’m well excited to get started with this and explore it further. I’m gonna go over this little code snippet and work it out as best I can, and then who knows, maybe I’ll get a MEAN stack up and running for my new awesome web app idea.