What is Node.js?
Also called: Node
The short answer
Node.js is a JavaScript runtime that runs JavaScript outside the browser, used for servers, build tools and command-line programs.
Node.js, explained
It lets one language run on both sides of a website, and powers the tooling (npm, bundlers, frameworks) most front-end work depends on.
Questions people ask about Node.js
What is Node.js?
Node.js is a JavaScript runtime that runs JavaScript outside the browser, used for servers, build tools and command-line programs.
Related terms
JavaScript is the programming language of the web: it runs in every browser and makes pages interactive, from menus and forms to games and 3D.
npmnpm is the package manager and registry for JavaScript, where developers install shared libraries (packages) into their projects.
Back-endThe back-end is the server-side part of a site that visitors never see: databases, logins, payments, business logic and the APIs the front-end calls.
Next.jsNext.js is a React framework for building websites and web apps, adding routing, server rendering, static generation and API routes on top of React.
Part of the Web Encyclopedia by Apex Flow Digital. Definitions are general knowledge, kept current, with no invented statistics.