Get started with Node.js on Windows

Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime built on Chrome's V8 engine. It lets you run JavaScript outside the browser — on a server, your local machine, or in scripts — making it the foundation of most modern web tooling and backend development.

Why use Node.js?

• Full-stack JavaScript: Write both client and server code in the same language.
• Fast and scalable: Event-driven, non-blocking I/O makes Node.js ideal for real-time apps and APIs.
• Massive ecosystem: npm hosts millions of packages for virtually every development task.
• Required for modern tooling: Most JavaScript frameworks (React, Vue, Angular, Next.js) depend on Node.js to run their build tools.

Install Node.js on Windows

Choose your preferred environment:

• Install Node.js on Windows — Install directly on Windows using a version manager (nvm-windows).
• Install Node.js on WSL — Install on Windows Subsystem for Linux (recommended if you deploy to Linux servers or use Linux-based tooling).

Tutorials and learning resources

• nodejs.org/en/learn — Official Node.js getting started guide and tutorials.
• Build JavaScript applications with Node.js — Microsoft Learn learning path for beginners.
• Node.js tutorial in VS Code — Build a simple Node.js app in Visual Studio Code.