**Course Title:** Mastering Vue.js: Building Modern Web Applications **Section Title:** Introduction to Vue.js and Development Environment **Topic:** Set up a Vue.js development environment and build a simple Vue application with data binding.(Lab topic) **Objective:** By the end of this lab, you will be able to set up a Vue.js development environment, build a simple Vue application, and implement data binding. **Setting Up a Vue.js Development Environment** To start building a simple Vue application with data binding, you need to have a Vue.js development environment set up on your machine. In the previous topic, we covered the steps to set up a Vue.js development environment using Vue CLI, Node.js, and NPM. Here's a quick recap: 1. **Install Node.js and NPM:** - Download and install Node.js from the official website: <https://nodejs.org/> - Once installed, verify that Node.js and NPM are working correctly by running `node -v` and `npm -v` in your terminal or command prompt. 2. **Install Vue CLI:** - Run `npm install -g @vue/cli` in your terminal or command prompt to install Vue CLI globally. - Once installed, verify that Vue CLI is working correctly by running `vue -V` in your terminal or command prompt. **Creating a New Vue Project** Now that you have Vue CLI installed, you can create a new Vue project: 1. **Run the Vue CLI command:** - Run `vue create my-first-vue-app` in your terminal or command prompt to create a new Vue project called "my-first-vue-app". - Follow the prompts to select the default preset or manually select the features you want to include in your project. **Understanding the Project Structure** The Vue CLI creates a basic project structure for you. Let's take a look at the directories and files created: - `node_modules/`: This directory contains the dependencies for your project, including Vue.js. - `public/`: This directory contains static assets, such as images and favicon. - `src/`: This directory contains the source code for your Vue application. - `src/main.js`: This is the entry point for your Vue application. - `src/App.vue`: This is the main component for your Vue application. **Building a Simple Vue Application with Data Binding** Now, let's create a simple Vue application with data binding: 1. **Edit `src/main.js`:** - Open `src/main.js` in your code editor and replace the contents with the following code: ```javascript import Vue from 'vue' import App from './App.vue' Vue.config.productionTip = false new Vue({ render: h => h(App) }).$mount('#app') ``` - Save the file. 2. **Edit `src/App.vue`:** - Open `src/App.vue` in your code editor and replace the contents with the following code: ```html <template> <div> <h1>{{ message }}</h1> </div> </template> <script> export default { data() { return { message: 'Hello, Vue.js!' } } } </script> ``` - Save the file. **Running the Application** To run the application, navigate to the project directory and run the following command: ```bash npm run serve ``` This will start a development server, and you can access your application at `http://localhost:8080`. **What's Happening?** In this lab, you set up a Vue.js development environment using Vue CLI and created a simple Vue application with data binding. The `data` function in `App.vue` returns an object that contains the application's data. The template in `App.vue` uses the `{{ }}` syntax to bind the `message` data property to the HTML. When you run the application, you see the message "Hello, Vue.js!" displayed on the page. **Key Takeaways** - Set up a Vue.js development environment using Vue CLI. - Create a new Vue project using Vue CLI. - Understand the basic project structure created by Vue CLI. - Create a simple Vue application with data binding. **Additional Resources** - Vue CLI documentation: <https://cli.vuejs.org/> - Vue.js documentation: <https://vuejs.org/> **What's Next?** In the next topic, we will cover the component-based architecture of Vue.js. We will learn how to create and use components in Vue.js applications. **Leave a comment or ask for help** If you have any questions or need help with this lab, leave a comment below. We'll be happy to assist you.