Node.js runs JavaScript microservices outside the browser. It is well suited to small, network-oriented services, and a basic HTTP server takes little code to start. It is a practical stack choice, not a requirement of microservices: services can use other languages. section 2.3 section 2.0
To build and check one service locally:
- Install Node.js, then check `node --version` and `npm --version`. npm comes with Node.js and installs third-party packages. Keep development and production Node.js versions aligned. section 2.5.4
- Create a Node.js project, install Express, and add an HTTP GET handler. Run a single service directly on Linux, Windows, or macOS; use Docker when developing and testing multiple services together. section 2.6 section 2.5
Run the first server
From the project directory, run `node src/index.js`. Node.js executes that file and starts the HTTP server. Open `http://localhost:3000` to check for “Hello World”; press Ctrl-C in the terminal to stop it. The next step adds a `/video` route that streams a sample video to the browser. section 2.6.4 section 2.6
Keep direct Node.js execution available even in a larger application: isolating one service helps with development, testing, and troubleshooting. For a faster development loop, nodemon provides live reload; environment variables configure services for development and production. section 2.5 section 2.9
