The reigning Olympic champion over the distance, having triumphed at London 2012, the 21-year-old excelled once again on his return to British shores as he created history for the Caribbean island.
James had been widely predicted to triumph after easing through the heats in Glasgow, but he was made to work harder than perhaps he would have expected - for 300 metres at least.
Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa ran him close, matching the favourite stride for stride around the bend, but having run a conservative first 200m, James upped the pace in the closing stages to clock a time of 44.24 seconds - a new Games record.
Van Niekerk took silver, with Trinidad and Tobago's Lalonde Gordon claiming bronze and afterwards, James told the BBC: "I am happy for the country and this win is for everyone back home.
"Wayde van Niekerk pushed me hard and I had to stay composed. I stayed relaxed and in control.
"The crowd in Glasgow here have been brilliant and the have cancelled out the weather here!"
There was also success for another Olympic champion, as England's Greg Rutherford stole the show in the long jump and completed a successful return from injury with a leap of 8.20m, ahead of South African duo Zarck Visser and Rushwahl Samaai.
And on a packed night of athletics action, Valerie Adams was the predictable winner of the women's shot put.
The New Zealander is unbeaten since 2010 and took her Commonwealth gold tally to three with an effort of 19.88m - more than a metre better than runner-up Cleopatra Borel, with Julie Labonte of Canada taking bronze.
Canada enjoyed further success elsewhere, with Derek Drouin claiming high jump gold with a clearance of 2.31 while Brianne Theisen-Eaton won the women's heptathlon ahead of compatriot Jessica Zelinka.
Purity Kirui led a Kenyan clean sweep in the women's 3000m steeplechase, holding off a late surge from team-mate Milcah Cheywa with Joan Kipkemoi taking bronze, while in the won the women's javelin Kim Mickle of Australia took gold with a Games-record 65.96m.
In the pool, Meaghan Benfeito and Roseline Filion of Canada won the women's synchronised 10m platform final courtesy of a score of 310.65 points as their experience paid dividends.
That tally was enough to edge English duo Sarah Barrow and Tonia Couch into second, but Team England did enjoy success later in the day as Jack Laugher won the men's 1m springboard final and Alicia Blagg teamed up with Rebecca Gallantree to take synchronised 3m springboard gold.
A total of five titles were decided in the wrestling, with Nigeria collecting two as Odunayo Adekuoroye triumphed in the women's 53 kilogramme class, as did compatriot Aminat Adeniyi in the 58kg class.
Canada swept the remainder of the wrestling golds, Dori Yeats triumphing in the women's 69kg event, while David Tremblay and Arjun Gill clinched glory in the men's 61 and 97kg divisions respectively.
There was further success for Nigeria in the weightlifting, as Maryam Usman won the women's over 75kg final, with David Katoatau claiming Kiribati's first ever Commonwealth medal in taking the men's 105kg crown.
In the artistic gymnastics all-around final at the SSE Hydro, England's Max Whitlock clinched gold with a total score of 90.361.
Whitlock picked up two bronze medals at the London 2012 Olympic Games, and impressed on the floor and the pommel horse to see off Scotland's Daniel Keatings.
Keatings claimed silver while Whitlock's 18-year-old compatriot Nile Wilson completed the podium.
In the women's event, it was an English 1-2-3 as Claudia Fragapane took gold with a score of 56.132, ahead of team-mates Ruby Harrold and Hannah Whelan.