Node.js Development Page
Node.js® is a JavaScript-based environment built on Chrome's JavaScript runtime (V8) for easily building fast, scalable network applications with Javascript for both the server and the client.
Node.js® can be used to create web-servers and networked applications or you can also use it to perform helpful tasks on your computer such as concatenating(merging) and minifying JavaScript files and compiling Sass files into CSS. Commonly know as build & deployment task's.
Node.js® is great for this as it can be used cross platform (Windows, IOS, Linux) which is a real plus when working in a team or cross company.
NPM is a “package manager” that makes installing Node “packages” fast and easy. A package is just a code library that extends Node by adding useful features.
You can browse and find out the details of each package on the NPM site.
NPM is installed when you install Node.js® on your computer.
Visual Studio Code is great for working with Node & JavaScript for a few examples take a read of JavaScript Langauge on the Visual Studio Code page.
A really nice set of guides to get Node.js setup is available from Treehouse Installation Guides Who also have some really good Node.js and JavaScript courses available - TeamTreeHouse.com
Microsoft has put together a repository covering Tips, Tricks and Resources for working with Node.js on Microsoft platforms.
More soon on how we are using Node.js to speed up common tasks and time to market on some types of projects.
