1. Getting Started

Now that you’ve read the Preface and have CoffeeScript installed, what do you say we actually start using it? In this chapter we walk through a few ways that CoffeeScript can be executed and compiled.

I’m going to cover some good ways and some not so good ways to compile and execute your code. Although we won’t be covering the inner workings of CoffeeScript in this chapter, it is definitely an invaluable read as you start to work with CoffeeScript. Knowing the ins and outs of the command-line tools that ship with CoffeeScript will make your life easier, not only as you read this book, but as you start developing your first CoffeeScript applications.

Even if you have played around already with the CoffeeScript command-line tools, there is a good chance you might learn something new in this chapter, so please take a few minutes to read it before jumping straight to Chapter 2, “The Basics.”