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Table of contents

1. Core Node.js Concepts​

  • Start here to understand how Node.js works behind the scenes:
  • What is Node.js?
  • Node.js Architecture (event loop, single-threaded, non-blocking I/O)
  • Node.js vs traditional backend tech (PHP, Java, etc.)

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2. Node.js Fundamentals​

  • Learn the basics:
  • require vs import, CommonJS vs ES Modules
  • File System (fs module)
  • http module – creating basic server
  • Events & EventEmitter
  • Buffers and Streams
  • Global objects (**dirname, **filename, process, console)

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3. NPM (Node Package Manager)​

  • Understanding package.json
  • Installing & managing packages
  • Dev dependencies vs dependencies
  • Creating your own packages

4. Building APIs with Node.js​

  • This is your bread and butter:
  • Creating REST APIs
  • Handling routes manually
  • Parsing incoming data (query, body, params)
  • Using Express.js for routing and middlewares

5. Express.js (a must-learn framework)​

  • Routing (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
  • Middleware (built-in, custom, third-party like morgan, cors)
  • Error handling
  • Request/response lifecycle
  • Serving static files
  • Express Router for modular code

6. Working with Databases​

  • Start with MongoDB since you use MERN:
  • MongoDB CRUD operations
  • Mongoose ORM (schema, model, validation)
  • Connecting MongoDB with Node.js
  • Using async/await and handling promises
  • You can also explore:
  • PostgreSQL + Sequelize or Prisma
  • MySQL + mysql2 package

7. Authentication & Authorization​

  • JWT (JSON Web Token)
  • Session-based auth
  • Role-based access control
  • Storing passwords securely (bcrypt)

8. Error Handling & Validation​

Global error handlers

  • Input validation with libraries like Joi, express-validator
  • Custom error classes

9. Advanced Concepts​

  • Async programming: Promises, async/await, try/catch
  • File uploads (multer)
  • Sending emails (nodemailer)
  • Environment variables with .env and dotenv
  • Rate limiting, request logging, CORS

10. Build Tools & Production​

  • Using nodemon for development
  • pm2 for process management
  • Connecting frontend with backend (CORS, API calls)
  • Folder structure for scalable apps
  • Deploy Node.js apps (Heroku, Render, VPS with Nginx)
  • Handling SSL, reverse proxy with Nginx

Optional (But Useful) Topics​

  • WebSockets (socket.io) for real-time apps
  • GraphQL (alternative to REST)
  • Queues with bull and Redis
  • Caching with Redis