# Getting Started

This page will guide you through installing the Node.js RS Driver and executing your first statements against ScyllaDB.

## Installation

Install the driver using npm:

```bash
npm install @scylladb/driver
```

**Supported architectures:** Linux x86_64 and Linux ARM.

## Connecting to ScyllaDB

Create a `Client` instance and connect to your ScyllaDB cluster:

```javascript
const { Client } = require('@scylladb/driver');

(async () => {
  const client = new Client({
    contactPoints: ['127.0.0.1'],
    localDataCenter: 'datacenter1',
  });

  await client.connect();
  console.log('Connected to ScyllaDB');
})();
```

For connecting with authentication, see the [Authentication](https://nodejs-rs-driver.docs.scylladb.com/main/connecting/authentication.md) page.

## Executing a Statement

Once connected, you can execute CQL statements. It is strongly recommended to use **prepared statements** for repeated operations, as they improve performance and enable advanced load balancing:

```javascript
// Prepared statement (recommended for repeated execution)
const result = await client.execute(
  'SELECT keyspace_name FROM system_schema.keyspaces',
  [],
  { prepare: true }
);

for (const row of result.rows) {
  console.log(row['keyspace_name']);
}
```

For a detailed overview of statement types and best practices, see [Executing CQL statements](https://nodejs-rs-driver.docs.scylladb.com/main/statements/index.md).

## Full Example: Create Table and Insert Data

The following example creates a keyspace and table, inserts a row, and reads it back:

```javascript
const { Client, types } = require('@scylladb/driver');

async function main() {
  const client = new Client({
    contactPoints: ['127.0.0.1'],
    localDataCenter: 'datacenter1',
  });

  await client.connect();

  // Create a keyspace
  await client.execute(
    `CREATE KEYSPACE IF NOT EXISTS examples
     WITH replication = {'class': 'NetworkTopologyStrategy', 'datacenter1': 1}`
  );

  // Create a table
  await client.execute(
    `CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS examples.basic (
       id uuid PRIMARY KEY,
       name text,
       value int
     )`
  );

  // Insert a row using a prepared statement
  const id = types.Uuid.random();
  await client.execute(
    'INSERT INTO examples.basic (id, name, value) VALUES (?, ?, ?)',
    [id, 'Hello, ScyllaDB!', 42],
    { prepare: true }
  );

  // Read the row back
  const result = await client.execute(
    'SELECT id, name, value FROM examples.basic WHERE id = ?',
    [id],
    { prepare: true }
  );

  const row = result.first();
  console.log(`id: ${row['id']}, name: ${row['name']}, value: ${row['value']}`);

  await client.shutdown();
}

main().catch(console.error);
```

## Next Steps

- [Executing CQL statements - best practices](https://nodejs-rs-driver.docs.scylladb.com/main/statements/index.md) - Learn about prepared, unprepared, and batch statements
- [Fetching large result sets](https://nodejs-rs-driver.docs.scylladb.com/main/paging/paging.md) - Page through large query results efficiently
- [Load balancing](https://nodejs-rs-driver.docs.scylladb.com/main/policies/load-balancing.md) - Configure how the driver routes requests
- [Authentication](https://nodejs-rs-driver.docs.scylladb.com/main/connecting/authentication.md) - Connect with credentials or SSL
- [Migration guide](https://nodejs-rs-driver.docs.scylladb.com/main/migration-guide/migration-guide.md) - Migrating from the Apache `cassandra-driver`
- [Examples](https://github.com/scylladb/nodejs-rs-driver/tree/main/examples) - More complete usage examples