Create a project

Set up a real Node.js project from scratch

⏱ Est. ~9 min

01 · Read

Every piece of software you've ever used — from phone apps to massive websites — started exactly like this: someone created an empty folder and set up a project inside it. That's what you're about to do.

Setting up a project properly from the start saves you a lot of headaches later. A project in Node.js isn't anything special — it's just a folder with a package.json config file that tracks your project's name, version, and dependencies. Without it, tools like npm have no idea what your project needs or how to run it.

Think of it like moving into a new apartment. Before you can decorate or invite friends over, you need to sign a lease and get the keys. npm init is signing the lease — it creates the official document (package.json) that says "this folder is a real project".

💡 Picture thisStarting a project is like moving into a new apartment. Before you can decorate or build anything, you sign the lease (npm init) and get the official document that makes it real (package.json).

Key points

Every Node.js project starts with a folder and a package.json
package.json tracks the project's identity and dependencies
Setting it up right from the start keeps things tidy as the project grows

02 · Real-machine exercise

Every project starts with a folder. Create one called my-server, then go into it. These two commands create the directory and switch into it.

mkdir my-server && cd my-server

03 · Real-machine exercise

Now initialize your project with npm. The -y flag means "use all defaults" — skip the Q&A and just create the config file.

npm init -y

04 · Quiz

What does the -y flag do in npm init -y?

Installs the latest version of npm
Creates a yarn.lock file
Skips all the questions and uses defaults
Yes, delete existing files

05 · Real-machine exercise

Let's see what npm created. package.json is the heart of every Node.js project — it describes your project and tracks its dependencies.

cat package.json

06 · Fill in the blank

The file that tracks your project's dependencies is called _____.

07 · Read

What each field in package.json means:- name — your project's name (defaults to the folder name) - version — the project's version number (starts at 1.0.0) - description — a short explanation of what the project does - main — the entry point file (which file runs when others import your project) - scripts — custom commands you can run with npm run <name> - keywords — search tags for when you publish to npm - license — how others can use your code

The most important field you'll use shortly is dependencies — it'll list every package your project needs. It's empty now because we haven't installed anything yet.

Key points

package.json is the config file for every Node.js project
npm init -y creates it with sensible defaults
The dependencies field tracks which packages your project uses

08 · Quiz

You try to run npm install express, but get an error saying there's no package.json. What do you need to do first?

Install Node.js again
Manually create a file called express.js
Run node install express instead
Run npm init -y to create a package.json file

Other lessons in this chapter

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