Node.js Essentials Course
2-day advanced JavaScript course in Node.js — NOD
JavaScript Training Course Overview
This Node.js training course, is targeted at web developers, who are good JavaScript programmers. It is designed as both a general introduction to the Node.js library, and as a practical introduction to using Node.js as a platform for building web applications.
This first half of this JavaScript training course concentrates the basics of installing, configuring and using Node.js, including: installing and using Node.js modules (NPM packages); creating and running command line JavaScript programs; creating, running, and interacting with customised web servers via the Connect library/framework.
The second half of the course takes delegates through the process of building and deploying a simple, but complete, web application using the Express.js library/framework. Through that process, students will learn how to manipulate JSON records; interact with databases; use websockets; emit and receive events via websockets; integrate and test their application.
Course contents — 1 Introduction to Node.js
- What is Node.js?
- Standalone JS virtual machine (V8)
- Extensions for general programming
- Features: what can Node.js do?
- Server-side JavaScript
- Servers/clients for any net protocol
- Typically replaces web stacks, e.g.
- Apache/Tomcat+PHP, Ruby on Rails
- Why should you use Node?
- Asynchronous events vs. threads
- Performance
- Server utilisation
Course contents — 2 Getting Started
- Selecting a Node.js installation process
- OS packaged installations
- Mac, Windows, Linux
- Source code installation
- Installing the package manager (npm)
- Running commands
- To test your installation
- Command-line tools, incl. REPL
- Launching a server
- Interacting with a server script
- Starting Node servers at system startup
Course contents — 3 NPM Modules
- Understanding modules
- The
require()function - Module scopes
- Module caching
- Finding NPM modules
- Using modules
- Maintaining modules
- Using the npm command
- Creating modules
- Getters and setters
- JavaScript patterns
Course contents — 4 Command Line Scripts
- Getting user input
- Reading arguments
- Parsing command lines with Optimist
- jQuery selection without the browser
- Building command-line tools
- Restarting scripts automatically
- Validating JavaScript code
Course contents — 5 Web Servers
- Responding to requests
- Using Connect
- Reading request data
- Sending different response types
Course contents — 6 Building an Express app
- Creating an Express app/project
- Organising/structuring the app
- Generating HTML views with Jade
- Navigating datasets
- Filtering data
- Request variables and routes
- Posting data
- Modifying data through PUT requests
- Handling GET requests returning JSON
- Modifying HTTP response headers
Course contents — 7 WebSockets
- Instant 2-way client-server comms.
- Native browser support
- Node.js and websockets: Socket.io
- Emitting and receiving events
- Communicating with individual sockets
- Messaging across sockets
- Implementing chat interfaces
- Handling event types
Course contents — 8 Databases
- Why MongoDB? Document-oriented
- Connecting to with Mongoose
- Encapsulate DB access in models
- Define a Schema
- Define a Model
- Use validators, modifiers, getters, virtual attributes, default Values
- Define instance methods and static methods
- Reference other docs via DB Refs
- An alternative: connecting to MySQL
- Using node-mysql
Course contents — 9 Testing
- Unit testing methods
- Isolating blocks of code
- The Mocha test framework
- Testing HTTP with SuperTest
Course contents — 10 Conclusion
- Hosting Node projects
- Node.js sites and resources
Dates for Online courses
Dates for Dublin
- Thursday 13 Mar 2025 Ormond Quay €1305 Book
- Thursday 1 May 2025 Ormond Quay €1305 Book
- Thursday 22 May 2025 Ormond Quay €1305 Book
Dates for Belfast
- Thursday 1 May 2025 Assembly Buildings £1080 Book
- Thursday 22 May 2025 Assembly Buildings £1080 Book
- Thursday 26 Jun 2025 Assembly Buildings £1080 Book
Course Objectives
On completion of this JavaScript training course, you should be able to:
- Understand what Node.js is
- Appreciate the advantages and disadvantages of Node.js based web apps
- Select and use popular Node.js libraries
- Use Optimist for parsing JavaScript commands
- Manage HTTP requests using the Connect framework
- Create server applications using the Express framework
- Debug and test web applications using Mocha and SuperTest
- Integrate Node-based applications with MongoDB and MySQL DB
Target Audience
- Experienced JavaScript programmers
- General programmers with some JavaScript knowledge and substantial web development experience
Training Pre-requisites
Successful completion of the following 3-day JavaScript course; or equivalent knowledge and experience:
Training Style
This JavaScript training course, is instructor-led, hands-on practical training.
Hands-on practical work will take 40% to 60% of the contact time, depending on the needs, abilities and experience of the training group.