Exercise - Configure the package.json - Training

4 minutes

You're a Node.js developer at Tailwind Traders. Knowing how to set up a new Node.js project is an important skill to have. Setup includes generating a package.json file and creating some common scripts to use throughout the project lifecycle.

Open project in development container

A simple development environment has been provided for you. If you already have Node.js LTS installed on your computer, you can skip this section and clone the sample repository and use your local environment.

Remote development (browser)
Local development (Docker)

Start the process to create a new GitHub Codespace on the main branch of the MicrosoftDocs/node-essentials GitHub repository.

Open this project in GitHub Codespaces
On the Create codespace page, review the codespace configuration settings and then select Create new codespace
Wait for the codespace to start. This startup process can take a few minutes.
Open a new terminal in the codespace.

Tip

You can use the main menu to navigate to the Terminal menu option and then select the New Terminal option.
Validate that Node.js is installed in your environment:
```
node --version
```
The dev container uses a Node.js LTS version such as v20.5.1. The exact version might be different.
The remaining exercises in this project take place in the context of this development container.

Open Visual Studio Code in the context of an empty directory.
Ensure that you have the Dev Containers extension installed in Visual Studio Code.
Open a new terminal in the editor.

Tip

You can use the main menu to navigate to the Terminal menu option and then select the New Terminal option.
Clone the MicrosoftDocs/node-essentials GitHub repository into the current directory.
```
git clone https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/node-essentials.git
```
Open the repository in code with the following commands in the terminal.
```
cd node-essentials
code .
```
Open the Command Palette, search for the Dev Containers commands, and then select Dev Containers: Reopen in Container.

Tip

Visual Studio Code might automatically prompt you to reopen the existing folder within a development container. This is functionally equivalent to using the command palette to reopen the current workspace in a container.
Validate that Node.js is installed in your environment:
```
node --version
```
The dev container uses a Node.js LTS version such as v20.5.1. The exact version might be different.
The remaining exercises in this project take place in the context of this development container.

Set up a new Node.js project

For this unit, the JavaScript source code has been provided for you. Your job is to create the package.json file.

In the terminal, change to the folder for this exercise:
```
cd node-dependencies/3-exercise-package-json
```
View the contents of the folder:
```
ls -R
```
In this folder, you should see a src subfolder with an index.js file:
```
 ./src:
     index.js
```

Run the following command to create the package.json file with default values:

npm init -y

The package.json file that looks similar to this example:

{
  "name": "3-exercise-package-json",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "",
  "main": "index.js",
  "scripts": {
    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
  },
  "keywords": [],
  "author": "",
  "license": "ISC"
}

Modify the package.json with these property values:

name: "tailwind-trader-api"
description: "HTTP API to manage items from the Tailwind Traders database"
main: "index.js"
keywords: ["API", "database"]
author: "Sam"

Your package.json file should now look like this code:

{
  "name": "tailwind-trader-api",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "HTTP API to manage items from the Tailwind Traders database",
  "main": "index.js",
  "dependencies": {},
  "devDependencies": {},
  "scripts": {
    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
  },
  "keywords": ["api", "database"],
  "author": "Sam",
  "license": "ISC"
}

In the scripts section, add a new script named start above the test script:
```
"start": "node ./src/index.js",
```
Save your changes and close the package.json file.
Start your project with the start action by entering this command:
```
npm start
```
You should see this output:
```
Welcome to this application
```

You now have a good package.json file that you can build upon as your project grows.

Continue

Exercise - Configure the package.json

Open project in development container

Set up a new Node.js project

Feedback