Command to install nodejs & NPM on CentOS 8 Linux

Here are the commands to install and setup both Node.js and its package manager NPM on CentOS 8 Linux or Stream. It will work for RHEL 8 too.

Nodejs is a cross-platform JavaScript run-time environment available for Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, macOS, Android and more. It basically makes developers capable of writing server-side Javascript which will run outside the client browser. It helps them to create dynamic web pages, furthermore it has eliminated the usage of different languages for creating server-side and client-side scripting, instead it can be done alone by node.js.

It comes with NPM package manager which enable Node.js developers to publish and share their code using Node.js libraries. Here in this tutorial, we will show you how to install it on CentOS 8 Linux.

How to install Node.js and NPM on CentOS 8 Linux

Step 1: Install some Development Tools first.

First, we need to install some developing tools to support the installation and working of NodeJS development environment.

sudo dnf groupinstall "Development Tools"

or

sudo yum groupinstall "Development Tools"

Step 2: Update the System

Just update the system so that it can make every installed package to its latest state.

sudo dnf install update

Step 3: Search for the available Nodejs Redhat App stream repo

The best thing this time in the latest CentOS 8, we don’t need to add an extra repository to install Nodejs. It is already available in the AppStream official repo of this Linux 8. Thus first we search and see what is the version that is available to download an install.

For that use this command:

sudo dnf module list nodejs

The output for the above command:

[[email protected] ~]# dnf module list nodejs
Last metadata expiration check: 0:08:15 ago on Wed 02 Oct 2019 09:26:20 AM EDT.
CentOS-8 - AppStream
Name Stream Profiles Summary
nodejs 10 [d] common [d], development, minimal, s2i Javascript runtime

Hint: [d]efault, [e]nabled, [x]disabled, [i]nstalled

So as per the above result, the current version which available is the latest long term supported version of the NodeJS i.e v 10.x. Let’s install it in the next step.

Step 4: Install Nodejs and NPM on CentOS 8 Linux

Here is the single command that will install both Node.js along with NPM on your server or desktop CentOS 8 Linux system.

sudo dnf module install nodejs
or 
sudo dnf install @nodejs

Those are developers can install nodejs with developer profile so that libraries will available for them to build dynamically loadable modules. (optional)

sudo dnf module install nodejs/development

If you don’t want full Nodejs then instead of that you can install its minimal version (optional):

sudo yum module install nodejs/minimal

However, here we are installing the full stable version that means the first command of this step and here is its Output:

[[email protected] ~]# dnf module install nodejs
Last metadata expiration check: 0:11:37 ago on Wed 02 Oct 2019 09:26:20 AM EDT.
Dependencies resolved.
===============================================================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
===============================================================================================================
Installing group/module packages:
nodejs x86_64 1:10.14.1-1.module_el8.0.0+14+a5a48e73 AppStream 8.6 M
npm x86_64 1:6.4.1-1.10.14.1.1.module_el8.0.0+14+a5a48e73 AppStream 3.6 M
Installing module profiles:
nodejs/common
Enabling module streams:
nodejs 10

Transaction Summary
===============================================================================================================
Install 2 Packages

Total download size: 12 M
Installed size: 57 M
Is this ok [y/N]: y

Step 5: Check the install Nodejs & NPM version

After the successful installation of this javascript language, let’s check its version as well as the directory where they have been installed.

node-v
npm -v
which node
which npm

Output for the above commands

[[email protected] ~]# node -v
v10.14.1
[[email protected] ~]npm -v 
v6.4.1
[[email protected] ~] which node
/usr/bin/node
[[email protected] ~]# which npm
/usr/bin/npm 

Your Node Javascript is installed start doing what you want. However, if you are new to this language then you can try out the below example:

Step 6: Let’s test Node is working or not using a tiny webserver

To test it, let’s create a demo web server and see its working…

Create a javascript file

nano nodetestfile.js

or

vi nodetestfile.js

Note: If nano is not on your system then use this command: dnf install nano

Add the following code it that file:

#!/usr/bin/node

var http = require('http');
var port = 8000;
var laddr = '192.168.43.85';
http.createServer(function (req, res) {
   res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/plain'});
   res.end('Hello, h2s tutorial for nodes js ' +
   process.version + '!\n');
   console.log('Processed request for '+ req.url);
}).listen(port, laddr);
console.log('Server running at http://' + laddr + ':' + port + '/');

Save the file. If you are using ViM (vi) then press Esc button and then type :wq and press the Enter button to save the file.

For Nano user simply press Ctr+X and then type Y and hit the Enter button.

Run the script we created above

./ nodetestfile.js

Now, Open your browser type 127.0.0.01:8000 or server-ipaddress:8000

If you are accessing the Nodejs web server on a browser outside your local machine then don’t forget to open 8000 port in your firewall:

sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --zone=public --add-port=8000/tcp

sudo firewall-cmd --reload