System requirements

Node.js runs on POSIX-like OSes, various UNIX derivatives (Solaris, for example), and UNIX-workalike OSes (such as Linux, macOS, and so on), as well as on Microsoft Windows. It can run on machines both large and small, including tiny ARM devices, such as Raspberry Pi—a microscale embeddable computer for DIY software/hardware projects.

Node.js is now available via package management systems, limiting the need to compile and install from the source.

Because many Node.js packages are written in C or C++, you must have a C compiler (such as GCC), Python 2.7 (or later), and the node-gyp package. Since Python 2 will be end-of-lifed by the end of 2019, the Node.js community is rewriting its tools for Python 3 compatibility. If you plan on using encryption in your networking code, you will also need the OpenSSL cryptographic library. Modern UNIX derivatives almost certainly come with this and Node.js's configure script—used when installing from the source—will detect their presence. If you need to install it, Python is available at http://python.org and OpenSSL is available at http://openssl.org.

Now that we have covered the requirements for running Node.js, let's learn how to install it.