run javascript in terminal

Running JavaScript outside the boundaries of a browser used to pose quite a challenge. However, thanks to Node.js, a platform designed to execute JavaScript code server-side, running JavaScript in terminal has been made relatively simple and effective.

Setting up Node.js

Before we can run JavaScript in terminal, you need to install Node.js on your computer. To do so, go to the Node.js official website and download the LTS (Long Term Support) version. Once installed, you can confirm the installation by opening your terminal and typing the command node -v. If the installation was successful, this command will print the installed version of Node.js into your terminal console.

Code snippet for Running JavaScript in Terminal

Once you’ve installed Node.js, create a JavaScript file. We’ll call it myScript.js, but you can name it whatever you prefer:

console.log('Hello, World!');

To run this script, go to the terminal and type node myScript.js. If everything is set up correctly, you should see Hello, World! printed in your terminal console.

Code Explanation for Running JavaScript in Terminal

What’s happening here is pretty straightforward. The console.log() function is a built-in feature of both Node.js and browsers that print any passed parameter to the console, which is why the string ‘Hello, World!’ is printed when myScript.js runs in the terminal.

The node command is used to run JavaScript code in the terminal so by executing node myScript.js in the terminal, you’re telling Node.js to execute the JavaScript code inside the myScript.js file.

While this is a very basic example, Node.js opens up many possibilities for running complex JavaScript code and even entire applications from your terminal. With a better understanding of how to run JavaScript in terminal, you can integrate this knowledge with various tools for efficient coding and debugging. This process is simple, yet extremely powerful and crucial for JavaScript developers.