Chapter 14. The Node ecosystem
This chapter covers
- Finding online help with Node
- Collaborating on Node development using GitHub
- Publishing your work using the Node Package Manager
To get the most out of Node development, you need to know where to go for help and how to share your contributions with the rest of the community.
As in most open source communities, the development of Node and related projects happens via online collaboration. Many developers work together to submit and review code, document projects, and report bugs. When developers are ready to release a new version of Node, it’s published on the official Node website. When a release-worthy third-party module has been created, it can be published to the npm repository to make it easy for others to install. Online resources provide the support you need to work with Node and related projects.
Figure 14.1 illustrates how you can use online resources for Node-related development, distribution, and support.
Figure 14.1. Node-related projects are created online collaboratively, often via the GitHub website. They’re then published to npm, and documentation and support are provided via online resources.
You’ll likely need support before you need to collaborate, so let’s first look at where you can go online to get help when you need it.