Node.js: An open-source, JavaScript runtime environment that enables server-side and network applications with non-blocking, event-driven architecture.
Advantages
- JavaScript Everywhere: Allows full-stack development with a single language.
- High Performance: Non-blocking I/O for scalability.
- Vast Ecosystem: Extensive library of packages via npm.
- Community Support: Large and active developer community.
- Cross-Platform: Runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Disadvantages
- Callback Hell: Complex nested callbacks can be hard to manage.
- Single-Threaded: Limited CPU usage for CPU-bound tasks.
- Lacks Strong Typing: May lead to runtime errors.
- Stability: Some packages may lack stability compared to other platforms.
- Debugging: Debugging asynchronous code can be challenging.
Components
- V8 Engine: JavaScript engine by Google.
- Core Modules: Built-in modules like fs, http, and path.
- npm: Package manager for adding external modules.
- Event Loop: Manages asynchronous operations.
- libuv: Cross-platform library for asynchronous I/O.
Development tools
- Node.js Command-Line Interface: The node command for running scripts.
- npm: Package manager for installing and managing packages.
- Visual Studio Code: A popular code editor for Node.js development.
- Debugger: Built-in debugging tools and external packages.
- Express.js: A web application framework for Node.js.