Before we write any code, you'll need to install the Express library. We're going to use the Node Package Manager (npm) to download it using the npm install command.
NPM is the place to go to download other Node code written by other people. There are thousands of open-source, 3rd-party Node modules (also known as "packages") by other people that you can download and use in your own projects.
As we install Express, we'll need to update the package.json to add Express as a dependency. We do this so that other people working on the project will know to install Express before running any of the code. This can be done by adding --save to the end of your command.
Run the following command in your terminal:
$ npm install express --save
Express should now be installed. Check your package.json file to make sure it has been added as a dependency. It will look like this:
| Keyword | Explanation |
|---|---|
npm install [package-name] |
The terminal command used to install a package from npm. |
--save |
When added to the end of an npm install command, --save adds that npm package to the package.json file. |