Backend development with NodeJS, ExpressJS, mongoDB

Starting to build servers with JavaScript from zero

Created byGeorge Kovalev

Last updated 8/2025

English

What you'll learn

Set up your first server with JavaScript and NodeJS, ExpressJS
Understand what is a server and how it works
Define your first routes and controllers
Connect to the nonSQL database and learn how to use it for persistent storage

Course content

5 sections • 24 lectures • 2h 42m total length

What is a server and why do we need it8:00
If you never built a server this will help to understand the concept of it and why it is useful and almost always necessary

Initializing and running a server8:49
Your very first server, here it goes!
Let's try to make our server do something5:10
GET requests and passing data in the URL params
Understanding how a server communicates with a frontend5:34
To get a better idea how clients, like webpages or mobile apps, interact with a server we will make a brief detour to full-stack development here
Cross-Origin Resource Sharing2:51
It is not that scary as it sounds, what is CORS and how to work with it to make our server accept requests from our frontend
Using Postman tool to test your server in development2:37
With Postman tool we can easily create any type of HTTP request and test our server while we develop it
Order of declaring routes and why it matters8:08
One output per function1:39
Same as in plain JavaScript, your server controllers should only return once

Tidy up: external data file, .env file, .gitignore file4:04
Using different appropriate types of HTTP requests for different kinds of operations we run, putting data to an external file, using environmental variables in the .env file, adding irrelevant files and folders into .gitignore file – all of this is not only best practices but also a huge help for you to organise your servers in a better way!
POST vs GET request comparison, URL queries6:21
Different types of actions ask for different types of HTTP requests, let's find out about difference between POST and GET requests
Using POST requests in practice4:33
Let's put this POST requests to work and see how we can use them
PUT and DELETE requests10:26
More types of requests for replacing or deleting the data
Status codes, like those 404 or 500 errors you've seen!1:19
A cherry on top – add the status codes to your server's responses
Exposing a static content folder3:10
We can create a public folder in the server and keep any static content there, like PDFs, images, etc. and make it available for our client
Same route, different types of request1:39
Understanding better the routing system of the server

mongoDB overview3:44
What is it?
Establishing a connection with the database17:07
Adding mongoose to your server, creating schemas/models and connecting your server to the DB. Also we will start using the MVC pattern!
Refactoring the rest of your server to follow MVC pattern12:59
Going deeper into working with the DB11:51
Deleting data from the DB, updating it, using several collections inside a DB
Referencing across DB collections7:26
Organizing data in the collections helps to have a better structure, referencing across collections helps to link data which belongs to different collection
Using a cloud database7:00
Setting up and connecting to Mongo Atlas so that your DB runs in the cloud
Refactoring controllers to work with Mongo Atlas3:09
Describing API9:06
Describing API to help you plan the server you are building is always a great idea! It will also serve as a blueprint for the frontend developers to know how to communicate with your server.

Requirements

You will need to be confident using plain JavaScript, CLI (Terminal or gitBash)

Description

If you already know JavaScript and want to master backend development, this course is designed for you. We will start from the very basics – understanding what a server actually is – and gradually move toward building more powerful backend connected to databases and organized with professional standards.

You will not only learn the concepts but also get plenty of hands-on practice. By the end, you’ll be able to set up a server from scratch, design routes for all request types, handle data securely, and connect everything to mongoDB – both locally and in the cloud with Mongo Atlas.

Here’s what we will cover step by step:

– Understanding the server conceptually
– Initializing and running a server with nodemon
– Using GET requests and passing data in params and queries
– Understanding how frontend and backend communicate (including CORS)
– Checking and testing endpoints with Postman
– Organizing routes, controllers, and responses
– Using POST, PUT, DELETE requests and sending data in the body
– Status codes and serving static content
– MongoDB and Mongoose fundamentals, connecting the server to the database
– Building with the MVC pattern, refactoring routes and controllers
– Creating, deleting, and updating documents in the database, including multiple collections and relationships with populate()
– Working with Mongo Atlas for cloud databases
– Writing clearl API descriptions and using industry tools

With these solid foundations, you will gain the skills and confidence to create and scale your own backend applications. No fluff, no unnecessary theory – just a practical, step-by-step path understand the backend development with JavaScript.

Who this course is for:

JavaScript developers curious about trying backend development

Backend development with NodeJS, ExpressJS, mongoDB

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction1 lecture • 8min

Starting your first server7 lectures • 35min

Reinforcement practicing1 lecture • 15min

Going further: POST, PUT, DELETE requests, status codes, body of a request7 lectures • 32min

Using a database8 lectures • 1hr 12min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: