Node.js is an open-source, server-side runtime environment built on the V8 JavaScript engine developed by Google. It allows developers to run JavaScript code on the server, enabling the development of server-side and network applications. Node.js is known for its non-blocking, event-driven architecture, making it highly efficient for building scalable and real-time applications, such as web servers, APIs, chat applications, and more. It has a vast ecosystem of libraries and packages available through npm (Node Package Manager), making it a popular choice for modern web and application development.
To check the Node.js version installed on your computer using the Windows Command Prompt (cmd), you can use the following command:
1 |
node -v |
Here are the steps:
- Open Command Prompt: Press
Win + R
, type “cmd,” and press Enter to open the Command Prompt. - Check Node.js Version: In the Command Prompt window, simply type and execute the command
node -v
.
This command will display the Node.js version installed on your system, such as “v14.17.4.”
How to update NodeJS on Windows Mac and Linux?
To update Node.js on Windows, Mac, and Linux, you can follow these general steps:
- Windows:
- For Windows, you can download the latest Node.js installer from the official Node.js website (https://nodejs.org).
- Run the downloaded installer, follow the installation prompts, and it will update your Node.js installation to the latest version.
- Mac:
- On macOS, you can use a package manager like Homebrew to update Node.js. If you don’t have Homebrew installed, you can install it from https://brew.sh/.
- Open Terminal and run the following commands:
shell brew update brew upgrade node
- This will update Node.js to the latest version using Homebrew.
- Linux:
- On Linux, you can use your system’s package manager to update Node.js. The specific commands may vary depending on your Linux distribution.
- For Debian/Ubuntu:
sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get upgrade nodejs
- For Red Hat/Fedora:
sudo dnf update nodejs
- For Arch Linux:
sudo pacman -Syu nodejs
- For other distributions, refer to your package manager’s documentation for the appropriate update commands.
- Verify the Update:
- After the update process is complete, verify that Node.js and npm (Node Package Manager) are updated by running
node -v
andnpm -v
in the terminal. They should show the latest versions.
By following these steps, you can ensure that Node.js is updated to the latest version on your Windows, Mac, or Linux system, keeping your development environment current and secure.
Why is important to know node version?
Knowing the Node.js version is important for compatibility with packages, ensuring stability, and taking advantage of new features and improvements in the Node.js runtime.
You can find more information about Node.js on the official Node.js website (https://nodejs.org) and in the Node.js documentation (https://nodejs.org/docs/).