[TW5] What is special about TiddlyWiki5 + node.js?

[byt...@protonmail.com]

I am a very basic user of tiddlywiki and my knowledge about node.js or js is very poor.

I believe that I know how tw5 works. I am confused as to why would I need node.js. What extra functionalities does it add? How is this different from tiddlywiki Desktop?

[Mat]

Hi byth and welcome!

First off, you don't need to use node.js unless you're using the node.js TiddlyWiki version. The most popular version of TW is simply the single file version, most easily downloaded via tiddlywiki.com in the GettingStarted tiddler. When people come to TW via github it is easy to misunderstand this because the presentation on github makes it appear as if TW as all about node.js. You might want to add a note to issue #2738 about this.

To answer you question, please see the doc tids: TiddlyWiki on node.js and TiddlyDesktop. About TiddlyDesktop, it is only briefly mentioned but the key is the sentnce: "is an app for working with TiddlyWiiki files". I.e it is a tool to administer multiple TW files. I am not sure but I think chief architect Jeremy Ruston halted development of it.

The "standard way" to get started with TW is simply to download a single file TiddlyWiki5 via that GettingStarted tiddler. (FYI, this is exactly what I do and I've been a user for 10 years.)

<:-)