Node.js

Node.js

Original author(s)	Ryan Lienhart Dahl
Developer(s)	Node.js Developers
Stable release	0.6.2 / November 18, 2011; 4 days ago (2011-11-18)
Preview release	0.5.10 / October 21, 2011; 32 days ago (2011-10-21)
Development status	Active
Written in	C++, JavaScript
Operating system	Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Windows (older versions require Cygwin), webOS
Type	Event-driven networking
License	MIT License
Website	nodejs.org

Node.js is an event-driven I/O server-side JavaScript environment based on V8. It is intended for writing scalable network programs such as web servers.^[1] It was created by Ryan Dahl in 2009, and its growth is sponsored by Joyent, which employs Dahl.^{[2] [3]}

Similar environments written in other programming languages include Twisted for Python, Perl Object Environment for Perl, libevent for C and EventMachine for Ruby. Unlike most JavaScript, it is not executed in a web browser, but is instead a form of server-side JavaScript. Node.js implements some CommonJS specifications.^[4] Node.js includes a REPL environment for interactive testing.

Examples

HTTP Server version of hello world in Node.js:

var http = require('http');
 
http.createServer(function (request, response) {
    response.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/plain'});
    response.end('Hello World\n');
}).listen(8000);
 
console.log('Server running at http://127.0.0.1:8000/');

Another example with a simple TCP server which listens on port 7000 and echoes 'hello' upon connection:

var net = require('net');
 
net.createServer(function (stream) {
    stream.write('hello\r\n');
 
    stream.on('end', function () {
        stream.end('goodbye\r\n');
    });
 
    stream.pipe(stream);
}).listen(7000);

Community

There is a very active Node.js developer community primarily centered on two mailing lists, nodejs and nodejs-dev, and the IRC channel #node.js on freenode. The community gathers at NodeConf, an annual developer conference focused on Node.js.^[5]

See also

Free software portal

• JavaScript
• V8 (JavaScript engine)
• NPM, the Node Package Manager - the predominant package manager for Node.js.
• JSAN, the JavaScript Archive Network - a lesser used JavaScript package manager.

References

1. ^ Wait, What's Node.js Good for Again?, By Klint Finley, January 25, 2011, ReadWriteHack
2. ^ Why Everyone Is Talking About Node, By Jolie O'Dell, March 10, 2011, Mashable
3. ^ Alex Handy (2011-06-24). "Node.js pushes JavaScript to the server-side". SDTimes. http://www.sdtimes.com/NODE_JS_PUSHES_JAVASCRIPT_TO_THE_SERVER_SIDE/By_Alex_Handy/About_JAVASCRIPT_and_NODEJS/35668. Retrieved 2011-09-04. 
4. ^ Implementations/node.js - CommonJS Spec Wiki
5. ^ NodeConf Schedule Announced, By Klint Finley, April 7, 2011, ReadWriteHack

External links

• Official website
• Source Repository
• Nodejs mailing list - general discussion about Node.js
• Nodejs-dev mailing list - list for discussion of bugs and changes to Node.js itself
• The Node.js Package Manager
• How To Node tutorial web site
• How to write your own native Node.js extension
• Node.js contributor Felix Geisendörfer gives some background on Node.js on The Changelog podcast
• A thorough introduction on the PavingWays blog
• Introduction to Node.js
• Node.js and the JavaScript Age
• The Node Beginner Book, a comprehensive introduction for experienced developers that are new to Node.js
• Mixu's Node Book, a free 10-chapter book on Node.js