Step-by-Step Guide

1. Update the Package Index
   Open a terminal and update the package index to ensure you have the latest information about available packages:

   sudo apt update

2. Install Node.js
   Debian’s default repositories contain an older version of Node.js. To install the latest version, use the NodeSource repository. First, install the necessary dependencies:

   sudo apt install curl software-properties-common

3. Add NodeSource Repository
   Use curl to add the NodeSource repository:

   curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_16.x | sudo -E bash -

This command will add the NodeSource repository for Node.js 16.x.

4. Install Node.js and npm
   Install Node.js and npm using the apt package manager:

   sudo apt install nodejs

5. Verify Node.js Installation
   Check the Node.js version to ensure it is installed correctly:

   node -v

You should see the Node.js version information displayed.

6. Verify npm Installation
   Check the npm version to ensure it is installed correctly:

   npm -v

You should see the npm version information displayed.

7. Install Build Tools (Optional)
   Some npm packages require build tools to compile native add-ons. Install these tools using the following command:

   sudo apt install build-essential

8. Create a Simple Node.js Application
   Create a new directory for your Node.js application:

   mkdir myapp
   cd myapp

Initialize a new Node.js project:

   npm init -y

Create a simple app.js file:

   nano app.js

Add the following code to the app.js file:

   const http = require('http');

   const hostname = '127.0.0.1';
   const port = 3000;

   const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
       res.statusCode = 200;
       res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain');
       res.end('Hello, World!\n');
   });

   server.listen(port, hostname, () => {
       console.log(`Server running at http://${hostname}:${port}/`);
   });

Save and close the file.

9. Run the Node.js Application
   Start the Node.js application:

   node app.js

You should see a message indicating that the server is running. Open your web browser and visit http://127.0.0.1:3000. You should see the message “Hello, World!”.

10. Install Global npm Packages (Optional)
    You can install npm packages globally using the -g flag. For example, to install the popular express framework globally, use:
    bash npm install -g express