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Learn and Understand NodeJS (V8, Express, MERN/PERN & more)

NEWLY UPDATED!: V8, Express, MongoDB, MERN (React), PERN (PostgreSQL), new projects, backend, full stack and more.

Created byAnthony Alicea

Last updated 12/2025

English

What you'll learn

Dive under-the-hood of how Node.js works to fully understand it
Structure a Node application in modules (CommonJS and ECMAScript modules)
Build a Web Server in Node and understand how it really works
Connect to a SQL (PostgreSQL) or MongoDB database in Node
Understand how the MERN and PERN stacks work
Understand and use the Event Emitter
Understand Buffers, Streams, and Pipes
Use npm and manage node packages
Build a web application and API more easily using Express
Be the coder that explains Node.js to everyone else because you understand it better than anyone else

Course content

14 sections • 122 lectures • 14h 38m total length

Introduction and the Goal of this Course4:33
Big Words and NodeJS1:13
Spot big word alerts in NodeJS and JavaScript as definitions unfold, demystifying complex terms with clear explanations and a brief dive into what the terms really mean.
Watching this Course in High Definition0:50
Conceptual Aside: The Command Line Interface9:22
Master the command line interface (CLI) essentials for Node.js development, and learn commands, arguments, and navigation across Windows, Mac, and Linux using ls, dir, cd, and mkdir.
Command Line References0:12
A Note on Updates to this Course0:31

Conceptual Aside: Servers and Clients6:45
What Does JavaScript Need to Manage a Server?2:18
The C++ Core5:51
The JavaScript Core3:04
Downloading Lecture Source Code0:33
Let's Install and Run Some JavaScript in Node16:47
LTS vs Current2:35
Compare LTS and current Node.js versions, highlighting stability, maintenance updates, and potential breaking changes; favor the latest LTS for reliable systems while noting current for new features with risk.
An Important Note on Versioning0:21

Conceptual Aside: Modules2:21
JavaScript Aside: First-Class Functions and Function Expressions12:03
Let's Build a Module10:54
JavaScript Aside: Objects and Object Literals6:55
JavaScript Aside: Prototypal Inheritance and Function Constructors11:38
JavaScript Aside: By Reference and By Value5:44
JavaScript Aside: Immediately Invoked Function Expressions (IIFEs)7:42
How Do Node Modules Really Work?: module.exports and require17:33
JavaScript Aside: JSON1:40
More on require11:39
Module Patterns19:12
exports vs module.exports10:02
Requiring Native (Core) Modules6:51
ECMAScript Modules (ESM)6:05
Compare Ecmascript modules (ESM) with commonjs, learn export and import syntax, default exports, and aliasing, and see how Node.js supports both for modular code.
package.json0:13
ESM and CJS5:01
Explore the differences between ESM and CJS in node, configure module type in package.json, and learn when to use imports versus require for consistent, modern modular code.
Web Server Checklist1:21
Quiz: module.exports

Conceptual Aside: Events5:24
JavaScript Aside: Object Properties, First Class Functions, and Arrays5:08
Explore object properties and methods, dynamic bracket access, and first class functions inside arrays, then loop with forEach to invoke functions, key concepts for understanding the event emitter.
The Node Event Emitter - Part 113:58
The Node Event Emitter - Part 211:58
JavaScript Aside: Object.create and Prototypes6:18
Node Versioning Note0:22
Inheriting From the Event Emitter14:40
JavaScript Aside: Node, ES6, and Template Literals (Node version <= 12)7:55
JavaScript Aside: .call and .apply3:40
Inheriting From the Event Emitter - Part 29:43
JavaScript Aside: ES6 Classes8:41
Explore ES6 classes as syntactic sugar for prototypal inheritance in JavaScript and compare them with function constructors and prototypes in Node.
Inheriting From the Event Emitter - Part 36:00

JavaScript Aside: Javascript is Synchronous2:38
Conceptual Aside: Callbacks1:29
libuv, The Event Loop, and Non-Blocking Asynchronous Execution11:39
Explore how libuv powers Node.js with the event loop and non-blocking I/O, coordinating OS events, callbacks, and V8-driven JavaScript to run code asynchronously.
Conceptual Aside: Streams and Buffers4:31
Conceptual Aside: Binary Data, Character Sets, and Encodings11:09
Buffers7:40
Explore how Node.js handles binary data with buffers, converting between strings and binary using utf-8 and base64, while noting the deprecation of new Buffer and using from and alloc.
ES6 Typed Arrays4:52
JavaScript Aside: Callbacks4:03
Files and fs15:52
Streams18:14
Conceptual Aside: Pipes2:14
Pipes15:51
JavaScript Aside: Promises0:40
Node and Promises2:05
Explore why promises exist in JavaScript and how Node.js supports them alongside callbacks. Learn how promises and async and await simplify asynchronous code, and adopt ECMAScript modules over require.
Files and Promises9:43
Explore asynchronous file operations in node using promise-based fs, adopt ecmascript modules over commonjs, and implement async/await with readFile to produce readable, maintainable code.
Streams and Promises5:44
Explore streams and promises in Node.js by converting callback style file copying to promises and async/await, using the promises API open, and iterating with for await.
Pipeline and Promises6:06
Show the promises version of node pipelines, replacing callbacks with async/await and Promise.all. Read, compress with gzip, and write to outputs using pipeline for clearer async flow.
Web Server Checklist2:37

Conceptual Aside: TCP/IP7:55
Conceptual Aside: Addresses and Ports3:11
Conceptual Aside: HTTP6:06
http_parser6:56
llhttp1:35
Explore how node's HTTP parser evolved from the legacy implementation to WL, via TypeScript and eventual C code, while preserving the same import and usage for developers.
Let's Build a Web Server in Node17:26
Outputting HTML and Templates11:43
Streams and Performance5:11
Conceptual Aside: APIs and Endpoints2:37
Outputting JSON6:39
Routing11:02
Routing (ESM)4:50
Explore routing in Node.js using CommonJS callbacks and ECMAScript modules with promises, demonstrating createServer, createReadStream, and pipeline, plus async/await for asynchronous tasks.
Web Server Checklist2:24

Conceptual Aside: Packages and Package Managers3:07
Conceptual Aside: Semantic Versioning (semver)4:46
npm and the npm registry: Other People's Code4:59
init, nodemon, and package.json13:02
npm Global Installation0:11
init, nodemon, and package.json - Part 215:17
node --watch1:17
Compare built-in node --watch with nodemon for auto-restarts on file changes. Use node --watch for simple cases; watch path supports directories on macOS and Windows, while nodemon config handles projects.
Using Other People's Code1:43

Installing Express and Making it Easier to Build a Web Server16:01
Routes4:32
Static Files and Middleware14:58
Templates and Template Engines15:54
Learn how Express supports templates and template engines to generate HTML on the fly, using view engines like EJS, render, and data objects from the views folder.
Querystring and Post Parameters18:21
express and body-parser3:01
Explore how express now provides body parsing built-in, replacing the separate body-parser, and learn to manage dependencies and open-source updates by inspecting module usage.
RESTful APIs and JSON5:21
Structuring an App13:45

Conceptual Aside: Relational Databases and SQL3:48
Node and MySQL9:28
Conceptual Aside: NoSQL and Documents3:12
MongoDB9:34
Connect Node.js applications to a MongoDB Atlas database, using collections and documents to store data, and query with JavaScript, while securing the connection string via environment variables.
Web Server Checklist1:16
Explore node's web server checklist, covering modules, asynchronous files, HTTP requests and responses, streams, buffers, databases, and how MERN and PERN stacks enable building websites and web apps with JavaScript.

Requirements

Basic Javascript knowledge (variables, loops, and basic functions)
Basic HTML knowledge
A text editor

Description

Over the past decade this course, newly updated, has become a standard for thousands and thousands of developers learning Node.js, backend web development, and full stack development.

Dive deep into Node.js under-the-hood mechanics and transform from code copier, or asking AI and LLMs to write code you don't understand, to a backend web development architecture expert. Discover why companies pay top salaries to developers who truly understand Node.js internals and asynchronous programming models.

Newly Updated 2025: New comprehensive modules on async/await patterns, ECMAScript modules implementation, and completely rebuilt MERN/PERN stack projects with MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and React!

Why This Course?

Most Node.js courses teach you to follow patterns without explaining the underlying mechanisms. This approach leaves you stranded when debugging complex issues or optimizing performance. By understanding Node.js at its core—how the V8 engine processes JavaScript, how the event loop handles asynchronous operations, and how backend web development principles apply—you'll solve problems other developers can't even identify.

What makes this course unique is its focus on both practical application and theoretical foundation. You'll build real-world Express.js applications while learning how each component functions behind the scenes, giving you the confidence to tackle any backend challenge and excel in full-stack development environments.

What You'll Build

A custom HTTP server from scratch without frameworks
RESTful APIs with Express.js implementing authentication and data validation
File processing application using Streams and Buffers for memory efficiency
Complete MERN stack application with React frontend and MongoDB
Full PERN stack project featuring PostgreSQL database integration

Course Content at a Glance

The curriculum progresses from core concepts to complete applications, ensuring mastery at each level:

Node.js Fundamentals: V8 engine, event loop, and memory management
Module Systems: CommonJS vs ECMAScript modules and dependency management
Asynchronous Patterns: Callbacks, promises, async/await, and event emitters
Web Servers: HTTP module, routing, middleware concepts and Express.js
Database Integration: MongoDB and PostgreSQL connectivity patterns
Full-Stack Development: MERN and PERN architecture implementation

Who Should Enroll

This course is perfect for intermediate JavaScript developers who want to specialize in backend or become true full-stack developers. You should be comfortable with JavaScript fundamentals and ES6 features, but no prior Node.js experience is required—we'll build that expertise from the ground up, focusing on deep understanding rather than simple implementation.

About Me

With over 25 years as a full-stack developer and 10 years of teaching Node.js on Udemy, I've helped hundreds of thousands of students master backend development concepts. Students in my courses have not just gotten jobs, but become senior developers, started companies, and even become teachers themselves.

Enroll now to stop copying Node.js code and start truly understanding how backend web development works at its core!

Who this course is for:

Those looking to build a career as a NodeJS developer
Those desiring to become full-stack developers
Those who don't have server technology experience but wish to gain this skill
Those who want to only have to write both client and server code in one language: Javascript
Those who want to grasp Express, MERN, and PERN stacks

Learn and Understand NodeJS (V8, Express, MERN/PERN & more)

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction and Setup6 lectures • 17min

V8: The Javascript Engine4 lectures • 35min

The Node Core8 lectures • 38min

Modules, Exports, and Require17 lectures • 2hr 17min

Events and the Event Emitter12 lectures • 1hr 34min

Asynchronous Code, libuv, The Event Loop, Streams, Files, and more…18 lectures • 2hr 7min

HTTP and being a Web Server13 lectures • 1hr 28min

NPM: the Node Package Manager8 lectures • 44min

Express8 lectures • 1hr 32min

Javascript, JSON, and Databases5 lectures • 27min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: