Dumb question alert: I know that it is possible to run node.js in interactive mode like "python -i foo.py" where it runs the code in foo.py but then leaves you at the prompt ">>>" to interact, but how do I do it in node? I know it's possible bc I've done before, just can't remember how. Thank you

CodePudding user response：

To run Node.js in interactive mode, you can use the -i or --interactive flag when starting the Node.js REPL (Read-Eval-Print Loop). The REPL is a command-line interface that allows you to execute JavaScript code and see the results in real time.

To start the REPL in interactive mode, open a terminal and run the node command with the -i flag:

node -i

This will start the REPL and print the > prompt, indicating that you can enter JavaScript code. You can then execute JavaScript code and see the results immediately. For example:

> 1   1
2
> const greeting = "Hello, world!"
undefined
> console.log(greeting)
Hello, world!
undefined

You can also run a JavaScript file in interactive mode by specifying the file name as an argument to the node command:

node -i foo.js

This will execute the code in the foo.js file, and then leave you at the REPL prompt so you can interact with the code that was run.

Note that the -i flag is only available in the latest versions of Node.js. If you are using an older version that does not support this flag, you can still enter interactive mode by running the node command without any arguments and pressing CTRL C twice to exit the REPL.