Learning Node.js & Express (1)
Tags: node, express, serverside, backend
Published: 2019-11-17 22:55:25

---
title: Learning Node.js & Express (1)
published: true
description: Excerpts from my Node.js and Express Learning Phase
tags: #Nodejs #Express #Serverside #back-end #backend
series: Journey to MEAN Stack
---

I have been a [front-end developer since my break](https://medium.com/@benedictiknkeonye/the-latest-codenewbie-1facf1f33915?source=---------2------------------) into the technology industry, a little over a year now. My first programming language was actually Python, but that relationship was a bit too short and an internship opportunity came for me which entailed learning JavaScript and subsequently, Angular, I immediately grabbed it.

I, however, have a goal to understand the MEAN Stack before the end of 2019. This meant I had to learn Node.js, Express and MongoDB (not in its entirety since there's mongoose).

A friend told me about the MongoDB University courses, I thought it would be a great place to start since it was learning directly from the source. I had to take the basic level thrice because I failed once and could not meet up the timeline for the tests in the first attempt. I was third time lucky. This happened in September.

In the first week of October, I decided it was time to start learning Node.js. I decided to scour UDEMY and other similar places for courses on Node.js but they all looked really long for the moment and I really wanted to read this time, I was fed up with the video tutorials. 

I settled for two books; [Beginning Node.js](https://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Node-js-Basarat-Syed/dp/1484201884/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=BEGINNING+NODEJS&qid=1574029505&s=digital-text&sr=8-1) and [Learn NodeJS in One Day](https://www.amazon.com/Learn-NodeJS-Day-Complete-Examples-ebook/dp/B01N7A4NFT). I consulted a friend who recommended MDN's Node.js & Express Tutorial because he used it.

I created a [GitHub repository](https://github.com/Benneee/Learning-Node-JS) to track my progress and store all the code that would be generated during the next few months. I read on transit to and from the office, so I quickly wrapped up the #TransitRead that spilt into October from September just so that I could begin [Learn NodeJS in One Day](https://www.amazon.com/Learn-NodeJS-Day-Complete-Examples-ebook/dp/B01N7A4NFT), of course, I couldn't finish the book in one day, heck!, I'm still reading it.

So far, I have created my first server, writing and rewriting and then understanding what was done in the book, and pushed the code to GitHub. I have read about how Node.js ensures a non-blocking process in its operations and the suitable applications one can adopt a Node.js back-end. Following the MDN tutorial, I've been introduced to Express, a minimalist unopinionated web framework for Node.js and the Express App Generator, a wonderful tool, along with a host of middleware and libraries, if you will.


I am currently more into the MDN tutorial because of the insight it provides and the things I get to build, although, I really want to understand Node.js in itself before diving into any of its frameworks, fortunately, and unfortunately, MDN dives into Express before I knew what was happening. I did find a Node.js course on UDEMY that dives deep into Node.js before moving on to Express and other frameworks, I'll probably take that after I am done with MDN. For now, it's the book and MDN.

As I continue this journey, I want to document my experience here, I might mostly talk about my understanding - so more theory and less code. I have learnt quite a lot already, I will write a second part to this article tomorrow to talk about all I have learnt this weekend.

I'm so excited for what lies ahead!