Run a single file

Run the current JavaScript file so I can check the output quickly. Execute node on the active file in the integrated terminal, capture stdout and stderr in the terminal, and return my prompt when it finishes. Do this from the file's folder, not the workspace root, and do not start a watch process. Ladder L1

Before I run this single file, make the command safe and fast: surface the exact node command you'll run, highlight any required environment variables, and warn if the file imports local modules that live outside the file's folder. If a transient build step is needed (TypeScript, Babel), offer a one-click compile-and-run that deletes artifacts afterward. Ladder L2

I executed node on the active file and got a module not found error. The file imports ../lib/util and I see a util.ts beside it. I'm not sure if I need to compile TypeScript or if my NODE_PATH is wrong. What's the most likely cause and the quickest fix so I can run the file and see its output? Ladder L5

Every time I run a single script I end up chasing missing deps, wrong Node versions, or stale build artifacts and it takes twenty minutes to get a clean run. What's the pattern causing these delays and which three habits or project settings will stop this rework so running a file becomes a five-second action? Ladder L6