Sebastian Springer - Node.js: The Comprehensive Guide to Server-Side JavaScript Programming

Node.js has been with me for many years now as a server-side development platform and also in the form of this book, which is now in its fourth edition in German and debuting with this first edition in English. Over time, the JavaScript world, and also Node.js itself, has changed a lot. Node.js has now grown up and is part of the mainstream. In contrast to the early days, when you had to convince funders, decision makers, and coworkers to use Node.js, it has become much easier now. In some cases, Node.js is already used as the base platform in projects. One aspect that has contributed decisively to this success story is the flexibility of the platform. You can use Node.js in small command-line tools, for building rapid prototypes, and also for large-scale server applications in an enterprise context. This book is intended to accompany you on your journey into the world of Node.js, to help you get started developing applications based on Node.js, and to serve as a reference in your daily work.

In this book, you'll learn the basics of Node.js, learn more about how the platform is built, and work with the various interfaces that Node.js makes available to you.

Note that to work with this book, you should have a solid basic knowledge of JavaScript. While I do cover some language features throughout this book, such as destructuring, promises, and the module system, the focus is on Node.js, and so you should take a look at the Mozilla Developer Network ( https://developer.mozilla.org/de/ ), which comprehensively explains all aspects of JavaScript. I would also like to take this opportunity to recommend Philip Ackermanns JavaScript: The Comprehensive Guide (SAP PRESS, 2022, www.rheinwerk-computing.com/5554 ).

Server-side JavaScript with Node.js differs in some aspects from developing client-side applications with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, so you usually dont have direct visual feedback like you are used to in the browser. The architecture and design patterns you use on the server side also differ to some extent from those on the client side. Other patterns and paradigms are the same on both sides. Thus, Node.js is event-driven in many places, similar to the browser. This means that you have a lot to do with asynchronous operations because your application in Node.js usually runs in a single process, and performance bottlenecks can easily occur here if different operations block each other.

Node.js uses the same JavaScript engine as the Chrome browser: the V8 engine. Since the Node.js development team always keeps the engine up to date, you can develop modern JavaScript with Node.js and also have access to the latest language features. In addition to the engine, Node.js provides you with an extensive collection of core modules that you can use to solve your problems relatively close to the system level. However, youll usually use external packages because, for most problems, there are already established solutions that you only need to adapt for your application. The module system of Node.js takes a prominent position here. A lot has happened in this area in recent years, and the platform has taken a big step forward in adapting the ECMAScript module system. Throughout this book, youll learn more about the different layers of the module system and how you can use it to build your application.