/w1-node-ecosystem

Primary LanguageJavaScript

Setting up a Project with Node

Welcome to JSCRIPT 400 - Server Side Development with JavaScript

During class, we will be using repositories like these to develop skills and solidify concepts. I would recommend reading through the instructions before coming to class to prime yourself to the material.

Part of your homework assignment for each class will be to make a Pull Request against this repository. Your Pull Request should include answers to any questions in this document.

As we work together on this during class, I would encourage you to make comments next to code we write. Explain what is happening in your own words so that later you have those notes as a reference.

Core Learning Objective

  • Use NodeJS APIs to interact with files and the web

Sub-Objectives

  • Setup a basic NPM project
  • Run your project from the command line with scripts
  • Export and require your own files
  • Require and use core Node libraries
  • Install, require, and use packages from the web

Prereqs

To complete this lesson, make sure that node and npm is installed and can be run from the command line. My versions of each are as follows:

$ node -v
v12.2.0

$ npm -v
6.9.0

Instructions & Guiding Questions

  • Fork & Clone this repository

  • Question: What is the difference between forking and cloning a repository as opposed to just cloning a repository?

  • Your Answer:

--- Forking a repository makes a server side copy of that repository that is your copy to manage without impacting the original. Changes can be proposed to the original repository however using pull requests as needed to submit updates to the original repository. A forked repository can also remain in sync via pull from the original repository. Cloning a repository creates a local copy of the repository on your machine.

  • Run npm init -y from the command line

  • Question: What does npm init do? How does the -y flag modify that command?

  • Your Answer:

--- The command npm init will create a package.json file in the directory which is defined to identify various details about your project such as the project name, version, description, etc. Appending the -y after npm init will bypass the prompts in terminal and automatically populate the package.json file using default 'npm init' values. The default values can be managed by using npm config get <key> to identify existing values and npm config set <key> <value> -g to new key/value pairs globally.

  • Take a look at the file that was generated by the previous command

  • Question: What is the purpose of the following keys? "name", "scripts", "license"

  • Your Answer:

--- name is the name of the project. scripts identifies the various scripts or helpers you've created that can be used with your project. license identifies any licenses used by or applicable to your project

  • Create a .gitignore file

  • Question: What is the purpose of the .gitignore file? What is the significance of a "dot-file?"

  • Your Answer:

--- Dot files are hidden plain text configuration files prefixed with '.'; A .gitignore file can be used to identify files or directories to be ignored during push/pull such as config files, api keys, node modules, etc.

  • Create an index.js file with the following contents: console.log('Hello, Node!')

  • Question: From the command line, how can you run this file?

  • Your Answer:

--- To run the index.js file, use the node index.js command in the terminal from the project's directory.

  • Run npm test from the command line

  • Question: What happens and how is this related to what is in the package.json file?

  • Your Answer:

---An error message is returned. This message is defined in the test script defined in scripts section of the package.json file.

  • Create a new "script" command called "start" that has the following value: node index.js

  • Question: What will you enter on the command line to run that script?

  • Your Answer:

---You would use the command npm start in the terminal

  • Change the name of your "start" script to "my-file"

  • Question: The same pattern will not work to try and run this script. How can you successfully get this script to run?

  • Your Answer:

---If you are not using a standard npm script, you must use the npm run <script name>instead.

  • Create a new file called profile.js. Inside the file, copy the following but replace <your-name> with your name:

    module.exports = '<your-name>'

    Add the following to your index.js file. Then, run your file.

    const profile = require('./profile.js')
console.log(profile)

  • Question: What gets logged? Why?

  • Your Answer:

---The string <your-name> is exported from the profile.js file using the module.exports command. It is then imported to index.js using the require command and assigned to a variable. The variable containing the string is then logged to the console.

  • Question: What is module.exports and what is its type in JavaScript? What is require and what is its type in JavaScript?

  • Your Answer:

--module.exports is an object used to export one or more components from a given file. require is a function used to import an exported module.

  • We can only export one thing from files when using Node. With that said, export both your name and your birthday from the profile.js file.

  • Question: What are some ways you can solve this problem?

  • Your Answer:

--- Since module.exports is an object, you can export multiple components using an array or object.

  • Add the following to your index.js file. Then, run your file. 
    const path = require('path')
console.log(path.resolve())

  • Question: What is path and where does it come from?

  • Your Answer:

---path is a module that comes out of the box with node and can be used to create/manage directories and file paths.

  • Question: What command can you run to install this package?

  • Your Answer:

--- use npm install moment in terminal

  • On your own, use this package in the index.js file

  • Question: Do you need to use a ./ to require the package? Why or why not?

  • Your Answer:

---No. You are not referencing an exported component, but rather the moment package itself.

  • Move your profile.js file into a src/ folder. Update the path in your index.js file to ensure everything continues to work.

Resources