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I am trying to run a hello world program written in javascript in a separate file named hello.js

Currently running windows version of node.js.

The code runs perfectly in console window but how do I reference the path in windows environment.

C:\abc\zyx\hello.js

in Unix I guess it is showing $ node hello.js

I'm absolutely new to Node.js Please correct me if I am doing something wrong.

I tried

> node C:\abc\zyx\hello.js ----didn't work

> C:\abc\zyx\hello.js --didn't work

UPDATE1:

Added node.exe to the folder where hello.js file is sitting.
Added path point to the folder c:\abc\zyx\ and I get an error that says

ReferenceError: hello is not defined

see contents of hello.js 

setTimeout(function() { console.log('World!'); }, 2000); console.log('Hello');

UPDATE 2:

So far I have tried all these version and none of them seems to work. May be I am doing something completely wrong.

>node hello.js >$ node hello.js >node.exe hello.js >node /hello.js >node \hello.js > \node \hello.js > /node /hello.js > C:\abc\xyz\node.exe C:\abc\xyz\hello.js > C:\abc\xyz\node.exe C:/abc/xyz/hello.js > hello.js > /hello.js > \hello.js >node hello

Refer to my file structure

. ├── hello.js ├── node.exe └── paths.txt

RESOLVED: Instead of running node.exe, try running in command prompt with the following option and it worked.

c:\>node c:\abc\hello.js Hello World! (after 2 secs)
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  • 1
    Could you provide a little more information? There is no official node for Windows as far as I know, seeing as the announcement that the port was starting was only made a few weeks ago. Are you using node.js under Cygwin, or is there some other node windows fork out there (if there is, I haven't heard of it). EDIT: I didn't realize that there was a preview build available. My apologies. Commented Jul 18, 2011 at 19:12
  • 5
    nodejs.org/dist/v0.5.1/node.exe Commented Jul 18, 2011 at 19:16
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    Try node hello.js instead of node hello ;) Commented Jul 18, 2011 at 19:23
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    i dont know what c:> is but from the command prompt, as you said, "node c:\users\me\desktop\helloworld.js" is what worked for me. Commented Dec 31, 2012 at 21:24
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    I had the same problems as you, it's funny, because even today 2016, I found dozens of tutorials trying to teach nodejs but none of them teach step by step how to run the basic command besides the '$ node filename.js'. I can't understand how everybody assume that we need to use the root folder for this. Who uses the disk root to host files? Commented Jan 16, 2016 at 1:27

17 Answers 17

Reset to default
413

Here are the exact steps I just took to run the "Hello World" example found at http://nodejs.org/. This is a quick and dirty example. For a permanent installation you'd want to store the executable in a more reasonable place than the root directory and update your PATH to include its location.

  1. Download the Windows executable here: http://nodejs.org/#download
  2. Copy the file to C:\
  3. Create C:\hello.js
  4. Paste in the following content:
 var http = require('http'); http.createServer(function (req, res) { res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/plain'}); res.end('Hello World\n'); }).listen(1337, "127.0.0.1"); console.log('Server running at http://127.0.0.1:1337/');
  1. Save the file
  2. Start -> Run... -> cmd
  3. c:

  4. C:>node hello.js

    Server running at http://127.0.0.1:1337/

That's it. This was done on Windows XP.

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12 Comments

Works like a Charm!!! Thanks a lot. The trick is to open cmd instead of node.exe command prompt.
@Mitul - Right, this is the detail that was missing from your description -- i.e. how you were starting node -- that was preventing others from helping you. Starting node with no arguments drops you into the REPL. This is an environment for interactively executing javascript. It's not the place to kick-off the execution of a file. More here: nodejs.org/docs/v0.3.1/api/repl.html
This is awful, DO NOT copy the node executable into the root of your hard drive. This is what paths are meant for, see @kcbanner's answer. Also, the Window's install of Node comes with a Node.js command prompt that has the paths properly set already if you don't want to modify your system path.
@joshperry - I think you're slightly missing the point. The question has been heavily edited from the original, but the main problem the OP was having is that they were trying to execute a file from the REPL. Nothing about my answer is intended as a long-term installation solution, nor is that even implied. The instructions are so simple precisely to illustrate the difference between executing a .js file and opening the REPL.
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45

Install the MSI file: Go to the installed directory C:\Program Files\nodejs from command prompt n

C:\>cd C:\Program Files\nodejs enter..

node helloworld.js

output:

Hello World

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1 Comment

Setting Node in Environment Variable will easy things
32

You need to make sure that node is in your PATH. To set up your path, this out.

Make sure that the directory that has node.exe is in your PATH. Then you should be able to run node path_to_js_file.js.

For a good "Hello World" example, check out: http://howtonode.org/hello-node

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11 Comments

I added node.exe to the folder where hello.js file is sitting. Also added path point to the folder c:\abc\zyx\ and I get error
What is the error? It is hard to provide any help without knowing what the actual error is.
Sorry I forgot mention earlier. Please refer to my update in the question. Thanks for helping.
I've updated my answer with a good "Hello World" example for node.
howtonode.org/hello-node returns an error
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8

another simple way

  1. download nodejs to your system
  2. open a notepad write js command "console.log('Hello World');"
  3. save the file as hello.js preferably same location as nodejs
  4. open command prompt navigate to the location where the nodejs is located
    c:\program files\nodejs
  5. and run the command from the location like c:\program files\nodejs>node hello.js
  6. in case the js file in another location give the path of file c:\program files\nodejs>node path\hello.js
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5

I installed node for windows. There is a node.js command prompt when I search for node.js in windows 7 start menu If you run this special command prompt, you can node anything in any location without setting up the path or copy node.exe everywhere.

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3

WinXp: I have created a .bat file

node c:\path\to\file\my_program.js

That just run my_program.bat from Explorer or in cmd window

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3

Go to cmd and type: node "C:\Path\To\File\Sample.js"

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3

Windows/CMD does not know where the node file is located. You can manually type out:

path=%path%;"c:\Program Files\nodejs"

each time you open a new cmd.exe prompte

OR (in Windows 10),

  1. right click on This PC -> properties.
  2. Click on Advanced system settings -> Environment Variables (bottom right).
  3. Select Path and click Edit.
  4. Click new and enter C:\Program Files\nodejs.
  5. Reboot and you should be able to run node from any directory.
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3

Just change file association of .js file to node.exe and you can run directly from explorer.

  1. Right click on the file -> Select "Open with" -> Select "Choose another program"
  2. Check box "Always use this app to open .js file"
  3. Click "More apps" -> "Look for another app in PC"
  4. Navigate to node.js installation directory.(Default C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe"
  5. Click "Open" and you can just see cmd flashing

Now you will be able to run any .js files directly just by double clicking.

Note: Adding below code to the end of js file will be useful as it will keep the console open for a keystroke.

console.log('Press any key to exit'); process.stdin.setRawMode(true); process.stdin.resume(); process.stdin.on('data', process.exit.bind(process, 0));
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2

The problem was that you opened the Node.js repl while everyone automatically assumed you were in the command prompt. For what it's worth you can run a javascript file from the repl with the .load command. For example:

.load c:/users/username/documents/script.js

The same command can also be used in the command prompt if you first start node inside the command prompt by entering node with no arguments (assuming node is in PATH).

I find it fascinating that 1)everyone assumed you were in the command prompt rather than repl, 2)no one seems to know about .load, and 3)this has 273 upvotes, proving that a lot of other node.js beginners are similarly confused.

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1 Comment

Fascinating indeed!
2

Step For Windows

  1. press the ctrl + r.then type cmd and hit enter.

  2. now command prompt will be open.

  3. after the type cd filepath of file. ex(cd C:\Users\user\Desktop\ ) then hit the enter.

  4. please check if npm installed or not using this command node -v. then if you installed will get node version.
  5. type the command on command prompt like this node filename.js . example(node app.js)
C:\Users\user\Desktop>node app.js
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1

type node js command prompt in start screen. and use it. OR set PATH of node in environment variable.

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1

Install node properly, that's it.

Now open terminal to path where your .js file is.

for example- if Javascript file(fileName.js) is at folder C:\Documents\Project1.

Just go to that folder, type node to check node is enable then type node fileName.js

Simple! Your work is done!!

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0 
c:\> node.exe %CD%\hello.js

%CD% captures the current directory under DOS

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1 Comment

if you want to use current directory, need not to give absolute path. c:\> node.exe hello.js will also work.
0

For all stuck on how to start!

https://github.com/sethvincent/javascripting

Copy here incase link dies:

  1. Open node.js command prompt
  2. Make directory called javascripting by typing "mkdir javascripting"
  3. Change directory into the javascripting folder by typing "cd javascripting"
  4. Create a file named introduction.js by typing "touch introduction.js" OR FOR WINDOWS: "NUL > introduction.js"
  5. Open the file and type some javascript e.g. "Console.log('hello');"
  6. Save the file and check it runs by typing "javascripting verify introduction.js"
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0

All you have to do is right click the .js file on Windows and press "Open with Command Prompt" OR Open cmd, copy the path to the folder containing your script, and run the command "cd [paste text here]". Then do "node example.js"

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0

I had such problem for windows. And I decided it so: startApp.cmd:

@set JAVA_HOME=C:\jdk160_24 @set PATH=%JAVA_HOME%/bin;%PATH% @cd /D C:\app\ @start /b C:\WINDOWS\system32\cscript.exe C:\app\start.js

and saved it cmd file in dir C:\scripts next file is runApp.bat:

C:\scripts\startApp.cmd
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