IND 515 · 3 credits
Course Outline
Backend Engineering with Node.js
Build real backends with Node.js. You will learn what happens between a browser's request and a server's response, write HTTP servers and routers from scratch, design REST APIs people thank you for, use Express middleware, persist data with JSON and SQL, and implement authentication the right way: password hashing, sessions, and JWTs. Server wiring is walked through step by step, and all the pure logic (routers, validators, token builders, rate limiters) is yours to write and run.
What you will learn
- ✓Explain the request to server to response cycle and what Node.js is
- ✓Build HTTP servers and route requests by method and path
- ✓Write asynchronous Node code with callbacks, promises, and async/await
- ✓Design clean REST APIs: resources, verbs, status codes, pagination, and error shapes
- ✓Use Express routing and middleware, and validate incoming requests
- ✓Persist data with JSON files and SQL databases from Node
- ✓Implement authentication correctly: password hashing, sessions vs tokens, and JWTs
- ✓Apply production patterns: environment config, structured logging, error handling, and rate limiting
Course outline
Unit 1From Request to Response
- 1-1What a Backend Is3 checks · 9 min
- 1-2Node.js: JavaScript Outside the Browser4 checks · 9 min
- 1-3Anatomy of an HTTP Request4 checks · 11 min
Unit 2Node Fundamentals
- 2-1Modules: Splitting Code into Files3 checks · 9 min
- 2-2The Event Loop, Mapped3 checks · 9 min
- 2-3Files, stdin, and process4 checks · 10 min
- 2-4Promises and async/await3 checks · 11 min
Unit 3Your First HTTP Server
- 3-1http.createServer, Line by Line2 checks · 10 min
- 3-2Routing: Tables and Dynamic Paths4 checks · 13 min
- 3-3Status Codes That Tell the Truth4 checks · 10 min
Unit 4REST API Design
- 4-1Resources and Verbs3 checks · 10 min
- 4-2Pagination and Versioning3 checks · 10 min
- 4-3Error Shapes People Thank You For4 checks · 10 min
Unit 5Express Essentials
- 5-1Express Routing3 checks · 11 min
- 5-2Middleware: The Pipeline4 checks · 13 min
- 5-3Validating Requests3 checks · 10 min
Unit 6Working with Data
- 6-1JSON In, JSON Out4 checks · 10 min
- 6-2Persistence: Memory, Files, Databases3 checks · 11 min
- 6-3Talking to SQL from Node4 checks · 13 min
Unit 7Authentication
- 7-1Passwords Done Right4 checks · 12 min
- 7-2Sessions vs Tokens3 checks · 11 min
- 7-3JWTs, Step by Step4 checks · 13 min
- 7-4OAuth and the Security Checklist3 checks · 11 min
Unit 8Production Patterns
- 8-1Config from the Environment4 checks · 11 min
- 8-2Logging and Error Handling3 checks · 10 min
- 8-3Rate Limiting3 checks · 12 min
Unit 9Capstone: A Complete Small API
- 9-1Designing the Notes API3 checks · 11 min
- 9-2Assembling the Core, End to End3 checks · 14 min
- 9-3Ownership: Listing and Deleting Safely4 checks · 12 min
Practice while you learn
Use Hack University's public online code editor when you want to run code online before committing to the full curriculum. The browser compilers are free for quick syntax checks, exercises, and interview practice in an isolated sandbox environment.