How to Use Node.js for Backend Web Development?

In the world of website design nowadays, NodeJS is a supportive tool for making capable backend systems. Whether you are an experienced web designer or just beginning out, NodeJS can upgrade your aptitude and help you in building extraordinary websites. This guide will show you how to use NodeJS to make website backends. We will go through everything step by step, from the basics to embarking your website live. Let us get started!

What is NodeJS?

NodeJS is open-source JavaScript runtime environment that empowers designers to run JavaScript code outside a web browser. Ryan Dahl made it in 2009, and the most current version is v0.10.36. NodeJS has become a well known choice for backend development due to its event-driven architecture and non-blocking I/O operations.

It is free for anybody to use, and it works on "Single-Threaded" system, which implies it can handle lots of individuals using your application at the same time without getting mixed up. It is also really fast at sending and receiving information between the user's computer and the server where your application is hosted.

Advantages of Using NodeJS for Backend Development

1. Scalability: It is incredible for applications where numerous individuals require to connected in real-time, like chat apps or online games. This is because NodeJS is made to address various tasks quickly without getting blocked, because of its unmistakable way of working called "non-blocking, and event-driven architecture".
2. Performance: NodeJS is known for its high performance. It is because NodeJS can handle several tasks instantly, and it does not have to hold up for one task to complete before moving on to the another one, resulting in fast response times and improved client experience.
3. Support for Real-time Applications: NodeJS is superb at making applications where individuals can converse with each other quickly, like chat applications or tools where individuals work together on the similar thing. Its capacity to manage Web Socket and an event-driven programming makes it selected choice for such implementations.

NodeJS Packages

NPM, which stands for Node Package Manager, is a tool used in NodeJS to manage packages or modules of code. These packages are like little bundles of code that developers can use to add functionality to their NodeJS projects. It allows developers to easily install, share, and manage these packages.

For example, if you want to add a specific package to your project, you just type "npm install package_name" in your terminal or command prompt.

NodeJS has a lot of packages that you can explore to take your backend development skills to the next level.

1. MongoDB

MongoDB is a non-relational database. It stores information in key-value sets in the form of documents. These documents are like holders that can hold all sorts of data in an adaptable way. So, when you are working with NodeJS and require a place to store your application information, MongoDB is an incredible choice since it is simple to use, adaptable, and works well with JavaScript, which is the language of NodeJS.

2. Socket.io

It is a well known library that help real-time, bidirectional communication between web users and servers. With Socket.io, developers can invent applications that support features like live chat, real-time gaming, and collaborative editing.

3. Axios

Axios is a well known package that helps you make HTTP requests. With Axios, you can easily get information from other websites, send information to servers, or connected with APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). Overall, Axios makes it basic to work with HTTP requests in your Node.js applications.

4. Moment.js

It is a supportive library for working with dates and times. With Moment.js, you can make sure your dates and times are presented exactly for different countries and languages.

5. bcryptjs module

It is like a tool for making passwords secure in NodeJS application. It takes passwords and turns them into really hard-to-guess codes, so although someone tries to break in, they will not be able to see the actual passwords. This helps keep users' accounts safe from hackers.

Steps To Use Node.js for Backend Web Development

1. Learning the Core

While Node.js uses JavaScript, it works in a various environment than the browser. Start by learning easy concepts like modules, the event loop, asynchronous programming. Try forming basic server programs using the http module in Node.js to see how it controls requests and responses.

2. Setting Up Your Development Environment

Installing NodeJS is easy. Just pursue these steps.

Step 1: Install Node.js.

Step 2: Open Command Prompt on your computer and navigate to the folder where NodeJS is installed using the "cd" command followed by the path to the folder.

Step 3: Later NodeJS is installed, you can see which version you have. Type "npm -v" into the Command Prompt. It will display you the version of NodeJS added on your system. If NodeJS is not installed, you will receive an error message in place.

3. Select a Text Editor or IDE

You will must-have a text editor or integrated development environment (IDE) to write your Node.js program. Broadly used text editor or IDE are Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, and Atom.

4. Make a new Project Directory

Pick a directory on your computer system where you want to keep your Node.js projects. Open a command prompt or terminal and move to this directory.

5. Set up a new Node.js Project

Open a new terminal or command prompt. Then run the following command:

npm init -y

6. Choosing Framework

When you are working with NodeJS to construct your backend, it can be truly productive to use a framework. There are lots of distinctive frameworks to select.

Express.js: It is one of the most well known frameworks out there. It is truly simple to use and gives you lot of versatility in how you build your backend. With Express.js, you can make routes, handle requests, and build APIs easily.

Other options include Koa.js, Sails.js, Nest.js, and Meteor.js. Each one has its own use cases and is great for distinctive kinds of projects.

7. Building Backend with NodeJS

7.1 Installing Dependencies: To begin building your backend application, you will likely involve to install few dependencies.

For an example, if you are building a web server, you can use Express.js, well known web framework for NodeJS:

npm install express

This command installs Express.js and adds it as a dependency to your project.

7.2 Creating a Web Server: The first thing we will do is create an easy web server using Express.js. Create a new file in your project folder called server.js, and add the following code:

// Importing express module 
const express = require("express");
const app = express();

// Handling GET / request 
app.use("/", (req, res, next) => { 
    res.send("express server"); 
}) 

// Handling GET /hello request 
app.get("/hello", (req, res, next) => { 
    res.send("hello response"); 
}) 

// Server setup 
app.listen(3000, () => { 
    console.log("Server is Running"); 
})

To start your web server, simply open terminal, navigate to your project folder, and run the following command:

node server.js

This command tells NodeJS to run the server.js file, which starts up your web server. Now, if you open your web browser and go to http://localhost:3000, you should see the "express server" message.

7.3 Connect to a Database

Every web application needs a place to keep data. Node.js gives you options for connecting up with databases, such relational databases like MySQL or PostgreSQL and NoSQL databases like MongoDB. Decide the one that best suits your application's needs. These tools make it less difficult to connect with your database. This facilitates you to execute CRUD operations smoothly.

Useful Resources: How to Connect Node to a MongoDB Database

8. Testing and Debugging

Testing is vital in software development, that your application carries out as expected and meets the requirements. There are distinct types of tests for your NodeJS applications, along with unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end tests(E2E). To make testing easier, you can use testing frameworks like Jest, Mocha, Karma, or Jasmine.

Debugging is the way of finding and solving coding errors or bugs in the source code of any software or hardware. When software does not work as thought, computer programmers see at the code to figure out why any errors occurs.

Some of the mainly used Debugging tools are: Radare2, Val grind

9. Optimize Performance

Performance optimization is essential for ensuring that your NodeJS applications are fast and responsive. There are several techniques you can use to optimize the performance of your backend, including minimizing the use of synchronous code. Use tools like New Relic, Datadog, or the built-in NodeJS performance hooks to monitor your application's performance.

10. Deploying Your NodeJS Application

Once you have formed your backend application with NodeJS, you will likely need to deploy it on the internet for people to use. There are numerous hosting choices present, containing cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, and Heroku. Here is the step-by-step guide:

1. Choose a hosting provider and set up an account.
2. Prepare your application for deployment by configuring environment variables and setting up database connections.
3. Deploy your application to the hosting provider using their deployment tools or command-line interface.
4. Monitor your application's performance and fix any problems that arise.

Conclusion

NodeJS is convenient for building the backend of websites. With its unusual way of handling events, lots of supportive packages, and solid frameworks, engineers can make websites that can handle lots of clients, work quick. Whether you are making a small project for yourself or a huge one for a company. NodeJS gives you the adaptability you require. We hope this article helped you get it why NodeJS is vital and how we can utilize it in our software projects.

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Article Tags :

• GBlog
• Web Technologies
• Node.js
• Backend-Development
• Web-Tech Blogs

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