Setup

Before we start building Express applications, let’s set up your development environment. You’ll need to install a few essential tools to follow along with this course.

Installing Node.js

Express is a Node.js framework, so the first thing you need is Node.js installed on your computer.

Download and Install Node.js

1. Visit the Node.js official website
2. Download the LTS (Long Term Support) version recommended for most users
3. Run the installer and follow the installation wizard
4. The installer will also install npm (Node Package Manager), which you’ll use to install Express and other packages

Verify the Installation

After installation, verify that Node.js is installed correctly by opening your terminal and running:

node --version

You should see the version number displayed, for example:

v20.10.0

You can also verify that npm was installed:

npm --version

This will display the npm version number.

Installing an IDE

An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) will make your coding experience much better. We recommend one of the following:

Option 1: Visual Studio Code (VSCode)

Visual Studio Code is a free, open-source code editor developed by Microsoft. It’s one of the most popular editors for JavaScript and Node.js development.

Installation:

1. Visit code.visualstudio.com
2. Download the version for your operating system
3. Run the installer and follow the setup wizard

Recommended Extensions:

• ESLint - For code linting
• Prettier - For code formatting
• JavaScript (ES6) code snippets - For helpful code snippets

Option 2: Cursor

Cursor is an AI-powered code editor built for pair programming with AI. It’s based on VSCode and offers similar features with enhanced AI capabilities.

Installation:

1. Visit cursor.sh
2. Download the version for your operating system
3. Run the installer and follow the setup wizard

Both editors are excellent choices. Choose the one that best fits your workflow and preferences.

Next Steps

Once you have Node.js and an IDE installed, you’re ready to start building Express applications! In the next lesson, we’ll learn the basic of npm which is the package manager we will use for this course.