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Create Your First Server with Server-side JavaScript

BeginnerGuided Project

In this guided project, you will create a web server with the Node.js server-side JavaScript command line interface (CLI) and launch an app that listens to HTTP requests and returns HTTP response messages.

4.4 (173 Reviews)

Language

  • English

Topic

  • Cloud Development

Enrollment Count

  • 655

Skills You Will Learn

  • JavaScript

Offered By

  • IBM

Estimated Effort

  • 20 minutes

Platform

  • SkillsNetwork

Last Update

  • April 23, 2025
About this Guided Project
Node.js is a server-side programming framework that uses JavaScript as its programming language. With the http Node.js module, you can develop an application that listens to HTTP requests and returns HTTP response messages.

In this guided project you will use server-side JavaScript to create an application that returns today's date and time. You will start with an instance of a web server that listens for requests on a specific port. Then you will discover how to use the built-in Node.js command line interface (CLI) to start and stop the server and to check that your application is running. You will practice examining its file contents by using CLI commands, the web browser, and the file explorer. By running a server-side script to require an exported module, you will configure your application to return today's date and time. Then you will execute a client URL (curl) command to ping the application. When you launch the application in a browser, you will see your application with today's date and the time in your own time zone!

This guided project will propel your ability to create and launch web applications that listen to HTTP requests and return HTTP response messages by using server-side JavaScript.

A Look at the Project Ahead
Once you have completed this project, you'll be able to:
  • Use the terminal to git clone and get Node.JS server code
  • Create a web server using Server side Java script
  • Run the server
  • Access the server from the client and get a response from server
What You’ll Need
Just a web browser and an IBM Cloud account!

Everything else is provided to you via the IBM Skills Network Labs environment. This platform works best with current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari.

Your Instructor
Upkar Lidder

Instructors

Dawn Teel-Friedman

Lead Editor/QA

I lead Skill-Up's Editing, Publishing, and UX/QA teams.

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Rav Ahuja

Global Program Director, IBM Skills Network

Rav Ahuja is a Global Program Director at IBM. He leads growth strategy, curriculum creation, and partner programs for the IBM Skills Network. Rav co-founded Cognitive Class, an IBM led initiative to democratize skills for in demand technologies. He is based out of the IBM Canada Lab in Toronto and specializes in instructional solutions for AI, Data, Software Engineering and Cloud. Rav presents at events worldwide and has authored numerous papers, articles, books and courses on subjects in managing and analyzing data. Rav holds B. Eng. from McGill University and MBA from University of Western Ontario.

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