Appendix - NodeJS and NPM

NodeJS is a runtime that allows developers to write ordinary applications in the JavaScript programming language. NodeJS includes a tool called Node Package Manager (NPM) that can be used to install reusable libraries and even applications, particularly command line tools.

Installation

The simplest way to install NodeJS for the purposes of this course is to head over to the web site, download it, and follow the installation instructions found in the download. Basically, you should be able to just download it and run it, but you may want to add the executable files to your PATH.

That being said, I personally use a tool called Node Version Manager (NVM) because it allows me to switch between different versions of NodeJS easily. If you intend to explore NodeJS further on your own you may want to consider using NVM or something similar.

Install Programs with NPM

Certain applications can be installed through NPM. For example, the BATS automated functional test tool can be easily installed this way. To install BATS using NPM issue the following command:

npm install -g bats

The "-g" flag tells NPM to install BATS "globally", in other words to install it on your system for use with any project. Without this flag NPM will default to installing packages in your current working directory, which is what you generally want when you use NPM to install reusable code libraries for use with a particular project.