Skip to content

Setup Node.js Application 🛠️

In this section, you'll learn how to set up a Node.js application from scratch, using the following tools: VS Code, Node.js, and Docker. Let's get started!

📋 Outline

  • [ ] What Are the Starter Steps?
  • Install VS Code
  • Install Node.js
  • Install Docker
  • Create a Simple Node.js Application
  • Dockerize the Application

🟢 What Are the Starter Steps?

Before diving into Node.js development, you'll need to set up a few essential tools on your machine.

1. Install Visual Studio Code (VS Code)

VS Code is a lightweight, powerful code editor that's great for writing and debugging Node.js code.

Steps to Install:

  1. Go to the official VS Code website: VS Code Download.
  2. Download the installer for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
  3. Follow the installation prompts.

Bonus: Install the Node.js Extension Pack in VS Code for additional Node.js development features.

2. Install Node.js

Node.js is the runtime that allows you to execute JavaScript on the server.

Steps to Install:

  1. Visit the Node.js official website: Node.js Download.
  2. Download the latest LTS (Long-Term Support) version for your platform.
  3. Follow the instructions to install Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager), which is automatically bundled with Node.js.

Verify Installation:

  • Open a terminal and run the following commands to confirm that Node.js and npm are installed:
node -v
npm -v

You should see the versions of Node.js and npm printed out.

3. Install Docker

Docker helps containerize your application, ensuring it can run consistently in different environments.

Steps to Install:

  1. Go to the official Docker website: Docker Download.
  2. Download Docker Desktop for your operating system.
  3. Follow the installation instructions provided for your platform.
  4. Once installed, start Docker Desktop.

Verify Installation:

  • Run the following command in your terminal to check if Docker is installed:
docker --version

You should see the Docker version printed out.

🚀 Create a Simple Node.js Application

Now that we have the required tools, let's create a simple Node.js application.

1. Initialize a New Node.js Project

  1. Create a new directory for your project:
mkdir my-node-app
cd my-node-app
  1. Initialize a Node.js project by running:
npm init -y

This will create a package.json file that stores metadata about your project and its dependencies.

2. Write a Simple Server

Create an index.js file in your project directory and add the following code:

const http = require("http");

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

const PORT = 3000;
server.listen(PORT, () => {
  console.log(`Server running at http://localhost:${PORT}/`);
});

3. Run the Application

To start your Node.js application, run:

node index.js

Open a browser and go to http://localhost:3000. You should see "Hello, World!".

🐳 Dockerize the Application

Now, let's containerize the Node.js application using Docker.

1. Create a Dockerfile

In the root of your project directory, create a file named Dockerfile and add the following content:

# Use the official Node.js image as a base image
FROM node:14

# Set the working directory inside the container
WORKDIR /usr/src/app

# Copy package.json and install dependencies
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm install

# Copy the application code
COPY . .

# Expose the port the app runs on
EXPOSE 3000

# Start the Node.js application
CMD ["node", "index.js"]

2. Build the Docker Image

Run the following command to build your Docker image:

docker build -t my-node-app .

This command tells Docker to build an image named my-node-app based on the instructions in your Dockerfile.

3. Run the Docker Container

After building the image, start a Docker container:

docker run -p 3000:3000 my-node-app
  • The -p 3000:3000 flag maps port 3000 on your local machine to port 3000 inside the container.
  • Now, go to http://localhost:3000 in your browser, and you should see "Hello, World!" again, but this time it's being served from within a Docker container.

📈 Summary Table

Here's a quick summary of the tools we installed and the steps we followed:

Tool Purpose Link
VS Code Code editor for writing and debugging Node.js apps Download VS Code
Node.js Runtime for executing JavaScript on the server Download Node.js
Docker Containerization platform to standardize the app Download Docker
npm Package manager for Node.js dependencies Bundled with Node.js

🚢 What's Next?

You now have a Node.js application running both locally and in a Docker container! 🎉

Next, you could:

  • Learn more about Docker volumes and networks to expand your application's capabilities.
  • Use Docker Compose to manage multi-container applications (e.g., adding a database).
  • Deploy your containerized application to a cloud platform such as AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure.

Happy coding! 👨‍💻👩‍💻