Installing Nodejs and NPM on MS Windows 10

What is NodeJS?

Its what is known as a runtime environment, where programmes written in JavaScript can run.

What is Python?

Python in a programming language. 

What is NPM?

Its a node package manager, which is an application and repository for developing and sharing JavaScript code. Many developers write applications and allow the NPM access to their programmes.

What is Chocolatey?

Its a package manager for windows that runs in Windows PowerShell. Which means, when installing a programme, and there are other dependencies, it will go search and download for you.

How to install Nodejs and NPM?

Download the executable for your version of Windows, at https://nodejs.org/en/download/ 

Example, download and Save the Windows Installaer (.msi) for 64-bit.

Run the installer. Make sure to CHECK box to Automatically install the necessary tools. This will add to path the Node.js and npm programmes.

At end of installation, a Windows prompt will appear. This runs several scripts, press "Space" and follow the instructions which will lead you to the Windows PowerShell prompt.

Test installation

Open a command prompt and type the following;

npm -version

node -v

My output was

8.1.0

v16.13.0

Run Hello World

Lets use an available helloworld package. At the windows terminal;

npm init hello-world helloworld

cd helloworld

npm run start

Use a web browser with the URL that is displayed at the terminal to see the results. In my case, the URL is http://localhost:3000

Issues

The Windows PowerShell waits for a long time with the last message, and task manager show lots of memory+disk activity+Ethernet. 

Created a UnelevatedInstallerTelemetryDecorator

Could it be a slow PC with slow network connectivity? If there are no errors in windows logs, just wait until its done processing and the text appears. My PC took almost 30 mins.

Press Enter to exit.