How to Build a Snake Game in Node.js

Node.js is a popular platform for creating web and mobile applications. It's fast, powerful, and easy to use, making it an ideal choice for creating games. Building a simple snake game is an excellent way to learn the basics of game development with Node.js.

Setting Up

Before you can begin coding your game, you'll need to install some dependencies and set up a basic project structure.

Installing Dependencies

The first step is to install the modules you'll need for building your game. You'll need Express, Socket.io and canvas for setting up the web server and creating the canvas for your game. To install them, run the following command.

  npm install --save express socket.io canvas

Creating the Project Structure

Next, create a new folder for your project. Inside, create the following files:

• server.js – will contain the code for your server.
• public/index.html – the web page that will display the game.
• public/scripts/draw.js – the game logic and drawing code.
• public/styles/style.css – any styling you want to add to the page.

Building the Server

Now that your project is set up, it's time to start coding. Open your server.js file, and add the following code to create an Express server.

  const express = require('express');
  const app = express();

  app.use(express.static('public'));
  app.listen(3000, function () {
    console.log('Listening on port 3000!');
  });

Creating the Canvas

Next, open your public/index.html file and add the following HTML code to create the canvas that will hold your game.

  <canvas id="game" width="400" height="400"></canvas>

Writing the Game Logic

Now that the canvas has been created, it's time to add the game logic to the draw.js file. Begin by creating a loop that will update the canvas.

  function gameLoop() {
    // update game state
    // draw the game
  
    setTimeout(gameLoop, 1000/60);
  }
  gameLoop();

Drawing the Game

Inside the game loop, use the canvas API to draw the game elements. You can use the drawRect method to draw the snake, as well as the drawImage method to draw the food.

  function draw() {
    ctx.fillStyle = '#000';
    ctx.fillRect(0, 0, canvas.width, canvas.height);
  
    drawSnake();
    drawFood();
  }

  function drawSnake() {
    // draw the snake
  }

  function drawFood() {
    // draw the food
  }

Adding User Input

Now it's time to add the user input. To do this, use the keyup event to get the user input and start the game.

  // get user input
  document.addEventListener('keyup', move);

  // start game
  gameLoop();

Conclusion

You have now successfully built a snake game using Node.js. You can test your game and make any changes you want to make it even better. Build on what you have learned and create other cool games with Node.js.