I know this may sound really stupid, but I'm a web developer. I save a file to the server, and never compile the code to work, I just reload my browser and my new scripts are running. However, I want to get more into javascript on server-side such as node and webkit.
https://github.com/rogerwang/node-webkit
The goal is to edit my code, save it, and test out the results.
Where do I learn this or start? People all over the internet point to composer stuff, and I understand JSON, but I only understand how code runs on the web.
I don't know how you use desktop compiling to run a program, such as saving my javascript and allowing node to compile and show me the results. No one shares how that works. I'm a simple person, I want to see my project files, and how they are executed, but for some reason, I try to install this stuff and never get very far at all, I try using windows cmd, always pops up some errors, if someone could please point me in the right direction that would be really helpful.
For instance, #1 how do I install node-webkit, (and if thats only thing I need to install) and #2 how do I take my project files and execute them into an actually running program using node-webkit
If you have no prior experience working on the command line. You might want to first dabble a bit with pure node.js (meaning not doing anything gui related like node-webkit).
Your aim should be to understand node.js and the package manager npm and how to use your command line environment (like cmd on windows) before moving on.
Here are some tutorials targeted on Windows users:
http://dailyjs.com/2012/05/03/windows-and-node-1/
https://www.planbox.com/blog/development/coding/getting-started-with-nodejs-on-windows.html
EDIT (one more link): http://blog.gvm-it.eu/post/20404719601/getting-started-with-node-js-on-windows
Please note that pure simple node.js does not have any DOM-tree as you are used to from developing in the browser.
After you accomplish basic tasks in node js, like opening and reading a text file, printing text on the command line and installing modules, you might have more luck with https://github.com/rogerwang/node-webkit .
Node is an interpreter.
You simply run node yourfile.js and it runs your code.