--- title: "Step-by-Step Node.js Installation on Windows" description: "**Step-by-Step Node.js Installation on Windows** **What is Node.js?** **Node.js** is an open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment that allows developers to run JavaScript code outside of a web browser. It is built on **Google Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine**, making it fast…" url: "https://vinothqaacademy.com/docs/installation-of-node-js/" updated: "2025-08-21" category: Playwright tags: - Playwright Tutorials --- # Step-by-Step Node.js Installation on Windows **Step-by-Step Node.js Installation on Windows** **What is Node.js?** **Node.js** is an open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment that allows developers to run JavaScript code outside of a web browser. It is built on **Google Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine**, making it fast and efficient. With Node.js, you can: - Build **server-side applications** (like APIs, web servers, and backends). - Handle **asynchronous I/O operations** efficiently (ideal for real-time apps like chat applications). - Use JavaScript for both **frontend and backend development**, enabling full-stack development with a single language. **What is npm?** **npm** stands for **Node Package Manager**. It is the default package manager that comes with Node.js. With npm, developers can: - Install, update, and manage **packages (libraries, frameworks, tools)** for Node.js projects. - Access a massive ecosystem of reusable JavaScript modules from the **npm registry** (the world’s largest software registry). - Share and publish their own packages for others to use. **In short:** - **Node.js** = The runtime that executes JavaScript on the server. - **npm** = The package manager that helps you install and manage third-party libraries for Node.js projects. **1. Verify if Node.js is Already Installed** 1. Press the **Windows** key and search for **Command Prompt**. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1-Search-Command-Prompt.png) 2. Open the **Command Prompt** application. Type the following command to check the installed Node.js version: ``` node -v ``` If Node.js is installed, the version number will be displayed. To check npm (Node Package Manager), type: ``` npm -v ``` If npm is installed, its version number will also be displayed. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/2-Verifying-Installation-Err-Msg-1024x479.png) 👉 If both commands return version numbers, Node.js and npm are already installed, and you can skip the installation steps. If you see an error message like the one shown in the image above, then follow the steps below. **2. Install Node.js (if not already installed)** 1. Navigate to the [official Node.js website](https://nodejs.org/en). ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/3-1024x556.png) 2. Open the **Download** section. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/4-1024x675.png) 3. Select the appropriate Node.js installer package for your operating system and Click the **Windows Installer (.msi)** option to download the installer. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/5-1024x429.png) 4. Save the installer file in a secure location on your system. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/6.png) 5. Right-click the downloaded file and select **Open**. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/7.png) 6. The *Node.js Setup Wizard* will launch. Click **Next** to proceed. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/8-1024x799.png) 7. Read and accept the License Agreement by selecting the checkbox, then click **Next**. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/9-1024x818.png) 8. Choose the installation path (or keep the default) and click **Next**. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/10-1024x794.png) 9. Accept the default component selection and click **Next**. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/11-1024x795.png) 10. On the next screen, leave the optional checkbox unchecked, then click **Next**. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/12-1024x795.png) 11. Click **Install** to begin the installation process. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/13-1024x794.png) 12. If prompted by Windows User Account Control (UAC), click **Yes** to allow the installation. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/14-1024x860.jpg) 13. Wait for the installation to complete. The duration may vary depending on system configuration. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/15-1024x813.png) 14. Once the setup is complete, click **Finish** to exit the Setup Wizard. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/16-1024x786.png) **3. Verify the Installation** After completing the setup, confirm that Node.js and npm were installed correctly: 1. Press the **Windows** key and search for **Command Prompt**. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1-Search-Command-Prompt.png) 2. Open the **Command Prompt** application. Type the following command to check the installed Node.js version: ``` node -v ``` If Node.js is installed, the version number will be displayed. To check npm (Node Package Manager), type: ``` npm -v ``` If npm is installed, its version number will also be displayed. ![](https://vinothqaacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/17-1024x535.png) If both commands return version numbers, Node.js and npm have been installed successfully. 🎉