Run Javascript file from command line

Question

I have a javascript file hello.js with console.log("Hello World"). I want to run it from my terminal (I am on a mac). I have node installed and I take the following steps -

Open terminal and navigate to the directory where hello.js exists.
Run command "node hello.js"

But I dont see the console statement (Hello World) in my terminal.

Can some one please help me run javascript from terminal (or tell me what I am doing wrong) ?

PS: I have checked this thread but my problem still exists.

So when you type `node hello.js` you get no error, nothing at all from your terminal.? — Keith, Feb 16 '18 at 21:22
Are you sure you have node installed? You can double check that node is installed by doing `node -v` to get its version. Are you absolutely certain you are in the correct directory before running `node hello.js`? — Moose, Feb 16 '18 at 21:25
and no i don't get any errors when i run "node hello.js" .. the code does seem to run for a while (the terminal window kind of freezes for a second) but there is no output — Shiv Baral, Feb 16 '18 at 21:31
If you just installed node via NPM, you should probably restart your computer before trying to run a JS file. — Brendon, Sep 18 '18 at 10:00

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 10 '19 at 02:07

One possible error is that your JavaScript file doesn't end with a new line character.

The node parser will read the last line, but it won't completely process the line unless it includes a new line marker (or, possibly, a semicolon).

Make sure your file includes the new line (as well as, preferably, a semicolon), i.e.:

console.log("Hello World");
// EOF comment, to validate a new line marker after last line of code.

This might solve your issue - unless the reason for your issue lies somewhere else.

Good luck!

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 23 '20 at 12:52

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You can Run your JavaScript File from your Terminal only if you have installed NodeJs runtime. If you have Installed it then Simply open the terminal and type “node FileName.js”.

Open Terminal or Command Prompt.
Set Path to where File is Located (using cd).
Type “node New.js” and Click Enter

answered Jun 23 '20 at 12:52

Anupam Rai

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this is not helping, this is exactly what the thread-opener already tried. – Homungus Jun 23 '20 at 13:16

score -1 · Answer 3 · answered Jan 30 '19 at 20:01

There are a few additional solutions you could use other than node.

The expected behavior of node would be to print "Hello World" for you, and there has been help troubleshooting in the comments of your post.

jsc is included with macOS. You should make a link to the file first as described in this post, and change your console.log() methods to debug().

rhino is available from Mozilla. It would require you to switch your console.log() methods to print().

For installing rhino, you may be able to avoid some of the issues you've had with node by installing through homebrew. As a last means of troubleshooting node, you may also find it useful to reinstall it through homebrew.

Run Javascript file from command line

3 Answers3