In the world of web development, having a robust backend is crucial for almost any web application. The backend serves as the backbone of the application, handling data storage, user interactions, and complex tasks like calculations and data processing.

Various programming languages are available for backend development, such as Java, C, C++, Go, Python, Ruby, PHP, and more. However, we have chosen Node.js as our preferred backend technology for two compelling reasons:

1. Familiarity and Ease of Use: One of the key advantages of Node.js is that it leverages JavaScript, a language that you are already familiar with. This allows you to quickly get started with Node.js, reducing the learning curve and increasing productivity.

2. Asynchronous Nature and Scalability: Node.js is exceptionally well-suited for building web APIs. Its asynchronous nature enables it to handle high input/output loads efficiently. In other words, it can process multiple lightweight user requests simultaneously, making it ideal for applications with a large number of concurrent users.

• Learning Objectives: What you can expect to learn from studying this material.
• Suggested Study: Helpful links for this module, useful but not required.

1. Introduction to Node.js

   • Understand what Node.js is.
   • Differentiate between Node.js and Browser JavaScript.
   • Explore server-side JavaScript.
   • Learn about non-blocking I/O.
   • Understand event-driven architecture.

2. Setting Up Node.js

   • Install Node.js and npm.
   • Manage versions with nvm.
   • Create your first Node.js script.
   • Run scripts with Node.js.

3. Modules and npm

   • Import and export modules.
   • Create and publish npm packages.
   • Manage dependencies with package.json.
   • Install and update packages.

4. File System Operations

   • Read and write files.
   • Work with directories.
   • Compare asynchronous vs. synchronous file operations.

5. Debugging Node.js Applications

   • Explore debugging tools and techniques.
   • Use the Node.js debugger.
   • Debug memory leaks.
   • Understand callbacks.
   • Avoid callback hell.
   • Apply the error-first callback pattern.

6. Event Loop and Callbacks

   • Understand the event-driven programming model.
   • Use the EventEmitter class.
   • Handle events with callbacks.

7. HTTP Server with Node.js

   • Create a basic HTTP server.
   • Handle HTTP requests and responses.
   • Implement routing in a server.

8. Express.js Framework

   • Get introduced to Express.js.
   • Create routes and handle requests.
   • Understand middleware and its role in Express.js.

9. Middleware in Express.js

   • Write custom middleware.
   • Use built-in middleware for common tasks.
   • Implement error handling middleware.

10. RESTful APIs with Express.js

• Design RESTful APIs.
• Handle CRUD operations.
• Use Express.js for API development.

11. Authentication and Authorization

• Explore user authentication strategies.