**Course Title:** Mastering NestJS: Building Scalable Server-Side Applications **Section Title:** Introduction to NestJS and Development Environment **Topic:** Setting up a NestJS development environment (Node.js, TypeScript, and Nest CLI) Now that we have an overview of NestJS and its benefits in modern application development, it's time to set up our development environment. In this topic, we will cover the steps to set up a NestJS development environment, including installing Node.js, TypeScript, and the Nest CLI. ### Installing Node.js and npm Before we start with NestJS, we need to ensure we have Node.js installed on our machine. Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment that allows us to run JavaScript on the server-side. If you haven't installed Node.js yet, you can download it from the official website: <https://nodejs.org/en/download/> Once you have downloaded and installed Node.js, you can verify the installation by running the following command in your terminal or command prompt: ```bash node -v ``` You should see the version of Node.js installed on your machine. In addition to Node.js, npm (Node Package Manager) is also installed. You can verify the npm installation by running: ```bash npm -v ``` ### Installing TypeScript TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript that allows us to write more maintainable and efficient code. NestJS is built on top of TypeScript, so we need to install it as part of our development environment. If you haven't installed TypeScript yet, you can install it using npm: ```bash npm install -g typescript ``` This command will install the TypeScript compiler globally on your machine. To verify the installation, you can run: ```bash tsc -v ``` ### Installing Nest CLI The Nest CLI is a command-line tool that allows us to create, build, and run NestJS applications. To install the Nest CLI, you can run the following command: ```bash npm install -g @nestjs/cli ``` This command will install the Nest CLI globally on your machine. To verify the installation, you can run: ```bash nest -v ``` ### Setting up a new NestJS project Now that we have installed the necessary dependencies, let's create a new NestJS project using the Nest CLI. You can create a new project by running the following command: ```bash nest new my-nest-project ``` This command will create a new NestJS project called `my-nest-project` in a directory with the same name. You can then navigate to the project directory and start the application: ```bash cd my-nest-project npm run start ``` Your NestJS application is now up and running. You can access it in your web browser by navigating to <http://localhost:3000/> ### Key Concepts and Practical Takeaways * Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment that allows us to run JavaScript on the server-side. * TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript that allows us to write more maintainable and efficient code. * The Nest CLI is a command-line tool that allows us to create, build, and run NestJS applications. * To set up a new NestJS project, use the `nest new` command to create a new project, and then navigate to the project directory and start the application with `npm run start` ### Next Steps In the next topic, we will explore the architecture of a NestJS application, including the different components that make up a NestJS application, such as modules, controllers, and services. **Let's hear from you!** If you have any questions or need help setting up your NestJS development environment, please leave a comment below. What are your expectations from this course? What do you want to learn from this course?