Stephen Grider: Microservices with Node JS and React — Review
By: Jana Bergant
Tags: Nodejs, Software Architecture, Programming, Microservices, Udemy Review

You’ve heard of microservices, but still, you have some questions on how to implement them.

Questions that might be puzzling you are:

- How do microservices communicate with each other?

- How do we share data?

- How is Docker used with microservices?

- What are some differences between monolithic architecture vs. microservices?

- What is the relationship between microservices and Kubernetes?

Most of all, you are wondering how big companies implement microservices.

Here is a course that will answer all of your questions and show you how big companies do it and how you can master microservices too!

The course is from Stephen Grider, and it’s called: Microservices with Node JS and React.

Here is the video version of the review:

The course uses Node and React, but the same principles apply to any language and technologies.

This article is a review of the course. Before we go any further, I have to tell you something. Stephen Grider’s course on Microservices is one of the best courses on the Udemy platform.

My biggest struggle was to find something I don’t like about the course. So, it can be an honest review.

Let’s dive deeper.

The course has 4.8 ratings from almost 3K students.

So far, about 22K students have enrolled. Stephen Grider published the course a few months ago.

In the course, you build, deploy, and scale a Server-Side Rendered React app using Microservices.

I like Stephen’s courses because he spends quite some time explaining with diagrams about how things work. You’ll learn how services communicate with each other, handle data, and all the basics before you dive into creating a simple mini services app.

Single microservice

Data in Microservices

In a mini-microservices app, you get a taste of microservices architecture and build as much from scratch. You create a simple blog with comments but designed as a microservice. It shows you how to use the event bus to communicate events from one service to another. With this simple app and with very clear Stephens explanation, you actually can finally understand how to integrate microservices.

Later on, you build a more complicated app.

The next step is using Docker and Kubernetes. I like that Stephen explains how Docker and Kubernetes work together.

I think Kubernetes is an overhead if you’re not building a large scale app. Kubernetes is a complex system with many different services, systems, and pieces.

This course is a great introduction to building large scale apps that need Kubernetes.

Stephen explains the WHY and the HOW

In the course, you’ll learn how to architecture a multi-service, create an optimal environment for the Cloud, and deploy the app to the cloud with Docker and Kubernetes.

And you’ll write comprehensive tests to ensure each service works as designed.

Technologies used in the course are Node, React, Docker, and Kubernetes.

But it does not matter if you use any other backend and frontend technologies. Stephen explains the idea and all the concepts behind microservices.

This course is not only for Node and React developers.

This course is for you IF YOU WANT TO understand how enterprise companies design their infrastructure.

After taking this course, you’ll know how to implement microservices. And you’ll understand all there is to know about microservices’ architecture.

I have to say this is one of the best courses that I enrolled on Udemy.

The course has short, bite-sized videos, very focused, and integrated.

The instructor, Stephen Grider, is very experienced. He has been building complex Javascript front ends for top corporations in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Besides that, Stephen is a great teacher. He explains everything very clearly and in great depth.

This course is the best course on microservices. You’ll learn a lot of new things, not just the microservices.

What about the bad parts of this course? Did I find any? Yes, the Q&A section does not have many answers. That is a minus of this course. When you get stuck, it’s good to have someone you can ask.

So would I still recommend this course? Yes, of course!

I’ve taken quite a few courses on Udemy, and in my opinion, this is one of the best courses on the platform.

When there is a sale on the platform, you can get the course as low as $10. Check out my video where I tell you when the next sale is up.

I hope you enjoyed this review. If you buy from the links in this article, I get a super small fee. Thank you for supporting me.

You know, I think the best courses can explain HOW and the WHY of the technology. After taking a great course, you know how things work, learn how to implement it, and understand best practices. Microservices with Node JS and React course is one of the courses that do precisely that.

Have a great day!