- Mastering JavaScript on Windows Command Line: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating and Executing .js Files with Node.js
- Creating an Empty .js File
- Creating a New JavaScript File
- Writing command line script in Node.js from scratch
- Executing a JavaScript File
- Running a Node.js Program
- Checking if the File was Created Correctly
- Running JavaScript from the Windows Command Prompt
- Running Command Prompt as an Admin
- Alternative to the Touch Command
- Other simple code samples for creating .js files in Windows command line
- Conclusion
- Run JavaScript in Windows
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- What’s the easiest way to run a .js javascript file on windows?
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Mastering JavaScript on Windows Command Line: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating and Executing .js Files with Node.js
Learn how to create and execute .js files in Windows command line using Node.js with this comprehensive guide. Follow the step-by-step instructions and best practices to become a pro in JavaScript development.
- Creating an Empty .js File
- Creating a New JavaScript File
- Writing command line script in Node.js from scratch
- Executing a JavaScript File
- Running a Node.js Program
- Checking if the File was Created Correctly
- Running JavaScript from the Windows Command Prompt
- Running Command Prompt as an Admin
- Alternative to the Touch Command
- Other simple code samples for creating .js files in Windows command line
- Conclusion
- How to create a js file in Windows cmd?
- Which command is used to create a JS file?
- How to create a js file?
- How to create file by cmd?
JavaScript is a popular programming language used for web development, and knowing how to create and execute .js files in Windows command line is an essential skill for developers. In this guide, we will provide step-by-step instructions on how to create a .js file in Windows command line and execute it using Node.js, as well as some helpful tips and best practices.
Creating an Empty .js File
The first step in creating a .js file is to create an empty file. To do this, use the following command: type NUL > filename.js . This command creates an empty file with the name “filename.js”. Here’s a detailed explanation of the command and how it creates an empty file:
- type is a command that displays the contents of a file. It is used here to create a new file.
- NUL is a special file on Windows that represents “nothing”. By redirecting the output of the type command to NUL , we create an empty file.
- > is a redirection operator that redirects the output of the type command to a file.
- filename.js is the name of the file we want to create.
Here’s an example of how to use the command to create an empty .js file:
Creating a New JavaScript File
To create a new JavaScript file, open the command line and create a new directory. Then, enter the directory and create a JavaScript file with a variable inside. Here are the detailed steps:
- Open the command line.
- Create a new directory using the mkdir command, followed by the name of the directory. For example: mkdir myproject .
- Change to the new directory using the cd command, followed by the name of the directory. For example: cd myproject .
- Use a text editor such as Notepad or Visual Studio Code to create a new file with a .js extension. For example: myscript.js .
- Inside the file, add a variable with any value. For example: var x = 10; .
Here’s an example of how to create a new JavaScript file with a variable:
C:\> mkdir myproject C:\> cd myproject C:\myproject> notepad myscript.js
Inside the file, add the following code:
Writing command line script in Node.js from scratch
This is a hands-on walthrough of creating a new command line utility in Node.js that does Duration: 13:19
Executing a JavaScript File
To execute a JavaScript file from the command line, navigate to the file location and type node filename.js . Here’s a detailed explanation of how the command works and what it does:
- node is a command-line tool that allows us to run JavaScript code outside of a web browser.
- filename.js is the name of the JavaScript file we want to execute.
Here’s an example of how to execute a JavaScript file using Node.js:
C:\myproject> node myscript.js
Running a Node.js Program
To run a Node.js program, run the globally available node command and pass the name of the file as an argument. Here’s a detailed explanation of how to run a Node.js program and what it does:
- A Node.js program is a JavaScript file that uses Node.js modules and APIs.
- To run a Node.js program, we need to have Node.js installed on our system. You can download it from the official website: https://nodejs.org/.
- To run a Node.js program, open the command line and navigate to the directory where the program is located.
- Type node filename.js , where filename.js is the name of the Node.js program.
Here’s an example of how to run a Node.js program using the node command:
C:\myproject> node myprogram.js
Checking if the File was Created Correctly
To check if the file was created correctly, use the dir command. Here’s a detailed explanation of how the dir command works and what it does:
- The dir command displays a list of files and directories in the current directory.
- To use the dir command, open the command line and navigate to the directory where the file is located.
- Type dir to display a list of files and directories in the directory.
Here’s an example of how to use the dir command to check if the file was created correctly:
Running JavaScript from the Windows Command Prompt
Running JavaScript from the Windows command prompt requires changing the file to make the first argument available as a variable inside the function. Here’s a detailed explanation of how to change the file to run JavaScript from the command prompt:
- Open the JavaScript file in a text editor.
- Add the following code at the beginning of the file:
process.argv.forEach(function (val, index, array) < console.log(index + ': ' + val); >);
This code uses the process object in Node.js to access the command-line arguments. It logs each argument and its index to the console.
- Save the file.
- Open the command prompt and navigate to the directory where the file is located.
- Type node filename.js arg1 arg2 arg3 , where filename.js is the name of the file and arg1 , arg2 , and arg3 are the command-line arguments.
Here’s an example of how to change a file to run JavaScript from the command prompt:
process.argv.forEach(function (val, index, array) < console.log(index + ': ' + val); >);var x = 10; console.log(x);
Running Command Prompt as an Admin
It is important to run the command prompt as an admin to create a file. Here’s a detailed explanation of why it is important and how to run the command prompt as an admin:
- Running the command prompt as an admin gives us administrative privileges, which are necessary to create a file in certain directories.
- To run the command prompt as an admin, right-click on the command prompt icon and select “Run as administrator”.
Here’s an example of how to run the command prompt as an admin:
- Click the Start menu button.
- Type “command prompt” in the search box.
- Right-click on the “Command Prompt” icon and select “Run as administrator”.
Alternative to the Touch Command
The touch command is not available on Windows command line. An alternative to the touch command on Windows command line is to use the command type nul > filename . Here’s a detailed explanation of how the command works and what it does:
- type is a command that displays the contents of a file. It is used here to create a new file.
- nul is a special file on Windows that represents “nothing”. By redirecting the output of the type command to nul , we create an empty file.
- > is a redirection operator that redirects the output of the type command to a file.
- filename is the name of the file we want to create.
Here’s an example of how to use the type nul > filename command as an alternative to the touch command:
Other simple code samples for creating .js files in Windows command line
In Javascript , in particular, make js file windows command code example
type NUL > test.html type NUL > test.js
Conclusion
Creating and executing .js files in Windows command line is essential for web developers, and this guide has provided step-by-step instructions on how to do so. By following these instructions and using the tips and best practices provided, developers can create and run JavaScript files efficiently and effectively. Now you have the necessary knowledge and skills to start mastering JavaScript on Windows command line.
Run JavaScript in Windows
Google has not helped and I am sure I am missing something silly, can any of you guys shed any light on why this simple script doesn’t run?
Well, I know enough to know that something you’re doing is confusing the parser. I can’t say off of the top of my head what though.
5 Answers 5
You are calling a function called alert , but this is not part of JavaScript (it is part of DOM 0 and is provided by browsers)
Since you haven’t defined it, you are trying to treat undefined as a function, which it isn’t.
Qnan suggests using the Echo method instead.
Thanks, i guess i need to read more about it. Thought it may be quicker then writing a java application. I just wanted a scripting language that would allow me to write a quick tool that produced a decent GUI. This is not turning out to be quick!
Try a named function replace since WSH does not support the window.alert method.
if (!alert) alert = function foo(s) alert("hello world");
A good approach is to redirect all of the usual output like in a following examples. It will allow you to test JavaScript designed for web without needing to rewrite.
var console = < info: function (s)< WSH.Echo(s); >> var document = < write : function (s)< WSH.Echo(s); >> var alert = function (s) < WSH.Echo(s); >console.info("test"); document.write("test2"); alert("test3");
You can call the script like this:
Cscript.exe test.js firstParam secondParam
alert is a method of the browswer’s window object. The Window’s scripting host does not supply such an object.
Microsoft’s JScript runtime compiler does not provide the native JavaScript popups as found in the DOM (Document Object Model) which is supported by all major browsers today. However, this can be done by wrapping a function (in your case alert ) around the native MessageBox found in WSH (Windows Scripting Host) as with any other scripting language supported with WSH.
But, just to give you an easier option. try DeskJS. It’s a new console-style app for Windows that’s designed to run pure JavaScript (ECMAScript 5.1 as of currently) away from the browser and supports all the basic JavaScript popup boxes together with other nifty additions to the language. You may just love it more than the browser’s console.
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What’s the easiest way to run a .js javascript file on windows?
When you try and run (not edit) a Javascript file, It will give an error that sounds like it is missing a reference in your code. For Example, I got:
Line: 3 Char: 1 Error: 'document' is undefined' Code: 800A1391 Source: Microsoft JScript runtime error
JScript is a script run time engine which has a similar syntax to JavaScript (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JScript for the longer story about lawsuits) and is the default handeler for .js files. document is a global object available inside browsers’ JavaScript engine (which JScript does not define). As for how to «run» it, you probably need to create an html file that references the script and double click on that
A script is expecting an environment to use for something. What is your script supposed to do? Apparently it expects a DOM. One cannot just «run a file» and expect everything to fall in place.
3 Answers 3
Windows Script Host (WSH) is a Microsoft technology used to run script files in various languages: it connects a script file with a script engine to run it. It has been around since Windows 95 and it’s documentation can be found on the web.
If you double click on a .js file, and if WSH has not been disabled, it results in Microsoft’s «JScript» script engine being run to execute the script with JavaScript bindings for the execution environment which include access to the file system and shell. It does not provide a browser environment or HTML rendering, so document flags as undefined.
To run a browser script, run it in a browser. Systems scripts might be written to run under WSH but there is a newer «PowerShell» replacement under Windows. NW.js and Node.js provide alternative cross platform capabilities and features.
Note that the name «JScript» originated during browser wars of the last century. Let’s not go there 😉