Node.js is a JavaScript runtime that allows you to run JavaScript outside of the browser, for example on the server or the command-line.

If you're seeing the "Install Node.js" setup step is being required, try following the steps. It will instruct you to download the right node.js installer for your computer. If the steps don't work, Try downloading Node.js from the Node.js site and install Node.js and then restart Dyad.

If you're still running into issues, please file an issue here: https://github.com/dyad-sh/dyad/issues and let me know: 1) what OS your computer is on (e.g. Mac / Windows) and 2) whether you have node.js installed already

FAQ

Why do I need to install Node.js?

Because Dyad runs locally, you will need to install Node.js on your computer in order to run your apps locally.

Why is Dyad telling me to install Node.js even if I already have it?

When you open Dyad, it checks that you have Node.js available on the PATH. For example, if you open up your terminal, you should be able to type node --version and see a version string printed out. If you get an error, this means that Node.js isn't available.

If you have Node.js installed, Dyad also ensures that you have pnpm installed. pnpm is a modern alternative to npm which is faster and much more efficient, by making sure node_modules are reused across your Dyad apps. This helps Dyad apps from consuming lots of disk space.

If node --version works on the terminal and you still see that the install node.js step is required, try installing pnpm manually and then restarting Dyad.