Node.js

What Node.js Is

JavaScript was originally designed to run only inside web browsers. Node.js changed that. Released in 2009, Node.js is a runtime environment that lets JavaScript run on your computer, on servers, and anywhere else — not just in a browser tab.

This was a big deal because it meant developers could use one language (JavaScript) for both the frontend (what users see) and the backend (servers, scripts, AI calls).

Why It Matters for AI Development

The overwhelming majority of modern AI tooling uses Node.js:

• Next.js (the framework used on this site) requires Node.js
• npm (the package manager) is bundled with Node.js
• The official SDKs for OpenAI, Anthropic, and most other AI providers have JavaScript/Node.js versions
• Most AI tutorials and starter templates are Node.js-based

If you're building AI apps with JavaScript or TypeScript, Node.js is the foundation everything else runs on.

Checking Your Installation

Open a terminal and run:

node --version

If you see a version number (like v20.11.0), Node.js is installed. If you see "command not found," download it from nodejs.org. Get the LTS (Long Term Support) version — it's the most stable.

Node.js and npm

When you install Node.js, npm comes with it automatically. So one install gives you both the runtime and the package manager — everything you need to start building.