README.md

SCU ACM Node Workshop

• This is a simple workshop that will cover basic Node.js, Express, and Socket.io usage.
• You will be creating a web chat application and deploying it to the Cloud.

Getting Started

Installing Node.js and NPM (non-Windows)

• Install NVM
• Install the latest version of Node.js: nvm install 10
• Check that it worked: node --version and npm --version
• Update NPM to the latest version: npm install --global npm

Installing Node.js and NPM (Windows)

• If you are using Windows, you can use a Linux VM or...
• Install NVM for Windows
• Install the latest version of Node.js: nvm install latest
• Close and re-open Command Prompt
• Check that it worked: node --version and npm --version
• Update NPM to the latest version: npm install --global npm

Getting the Source Code

• Install git if you have not already.
• cd to the directory you want to install this repo in.
• Clone this repo: git clone https://github.com/SCUACM/node-workshop
• cd into the newly created node-workshop directory.
• If you ls, you should be able to see package.json.

Project File Structure

• /package.json - File that specifies app details and dependencies for NPM.
• /node_modules - Folder for all your app's NPM dependencies.
• /public - Public-facing (client) code.
• /public/scripts - Client Javascript (scripting).
• /public/stylesheets - Client CSS (styling).
• /public/index.html - Our frontend's main HTML file.
• /server.js - Main file that holds all our server code.

Running the Server

• Install all node dependencies: npm install.
• You can check that it worked if node_modules folder has been created.
• Run npm start to start your server.

Completed Code

• If you are looking for the completed code, check out the solutions branch:
• Online: https://github.com/SCUACM/node-workshop/tree/solutions
• Locally: git checkout solutions (You might need to git stash)

Deploy to the Cloud

• Create a free account at Heroku.
• Install Heroku's command-line tool based on your OS.
• Run heroku login and enter in your new Heroku account's credentials.
• Run heroku create to create a new Node.js instance.
• Commit all your changes: git add --all && git commit -m "Your message"
• Run git push heroku master to send your changes to the Cloud!
• View your instance on the web: heroku open
• If you make more changes, commit your new changes and re-push to Heroku.

Moving Forward With Node

Understanding Node.js "Async"

• Single-threaded event loop
• Non-blocking I/O calls using libuv (async I/O)
• Because single-threaded, no thread context switching overhead (“fast”)
• Can’t scale Node.js by increasing the number of CPU cores, but can scale Node by increasing cluster size or upping the thread count in thread pool
• Promises
• New async/await syntax

Other Resources

• MDN Express Web Framework Tutorial
• Node.js Official Documentation
• Debugging Node.js Applications
• Run your Node.js app on a VPS