How to Run JavaScript in Terminal Using Node.js

To run JavaScript in the terminal using node, open your terminal and type node followed by your JavaScript file name, like node filename.js. You can also run JavaScript interactively by just typing node and entering code line by line.

Syntax

To run a JavaScript file with Node.js, use the command:

• node filename.js: Runs the JavaScript file named filename.js.
• node: Starts an interactive JavaScript shell where you can type and run code line by line.

bash

node filename.js

Example

This example shows how to create a simple JavaScript file and run it using Node.js in the terminal.

javascript

console.log('Hello from Node.js!');

Output

Hello from Node.js!

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when running JavaScript with Node.js include:

• Not saving the JavaScript file before running it.
• Running node without a file and expecting it to run a script automatically.
• Using browser-specific JavaScript features that Node.js does not support.

Always save your file and run it explicitly with node filename.js.

bash

Wrong: node script
Right: node script.js

Quick Reference

Command	Description
node filename.js	Run JavaScript file named filename.js
node	Start interactive Node.js shell
Ctrl + C	Exit interactive shell or stop running script

Key Takeaways

Use node filename.js to run JavaScript files in the terminal.

Type node alone to open an interactive JavaScript shell.

Save your JavaScript file before running it with Node.js.

Node.js does not support browser-only JavaScript features.

Use Ctrl + C to exit the interactive shell or stop scripts.