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Backend Engineering with Node.js (2026)
Foundations to advanced: Node.js, SQL/NoSQL, Express APIs, auth, DevOps, cloud, and AI integration—geared for entry to senior backend roles.
Node.jsJavaScriptLast updated 3 Feb 2026
Level 1: Foundations & Core Skills
Build a solid base in programming, web basics, and databases—the skills most in demand for entry-level roles.
Session 1: Developer Mindset & Setup
- Internet and HTTP basics; essential Linux commands.
- Git/GitHub: version control, branches, and collaboration.
- Set up VS Code and Node.js + npm/yarn.
- TypeScript from day one: in 2026 most enterprise Node.js is TypeScript-first; we use ts-node or tsx so you build type-safety habits early.
Session 2: Programming Fundamentals
- Variables, functions, and basic OOP (classes in JS/TS).
- Types and interfaces: why type safety reduces bugs and improves refactors.
- Async/await and Promises; concurrency basics.
- Intro to DSA: arrays/objects, basic data structures, and Big O thinking.
Session 3: Databases – SQL Masterclass
- PostgreSQL with pg library: SELECT, JOINs, indexing, and transactions.
- Normalization and ACID principles.
- Database migrations: Knex, TypeORM, or Prisma—changing schema in production without downtime is a critical skill; version your schema and run migrations safely.
Session 4: NoSQL & Data Modeling
- MongoDB with Mongoose: CRUD, flexible schemas, and caching patterns.
- Redis with ioredis: sessions and caching.
- Migrations for SQL/NoSQL (e.g. Prisma migrations or schema versioning); keep dev and prod in sync.
- ERD design and when to choose SQL vs NoSQL.
Session 5: API Building Basics
- REST principles: routing, controllers, and resource design.
- Hands-on with Express.js; JSON request/response handling.
Session 6: Testing & Debugging
- Unit and integration tests (Jest + Supertest).
- Error handling and defensive coding.
- Postman for API testing and documentation.
Level 2: Advanced Backend & Security
Focus on modern APIs, authentication, and performance—core for mid-level backend roles.
Session 7: Advanced APIs
- GraphQL with Apollo Server; when to use vs REST.
- API versioning and rate limiting (express-rate-limit).
Session 8: Authentication & Security
- JWT with jsonwebtoken and OAuth2 (Passport.js).
- bcrypt for password hashing.
- OWASP Top 10: SQLi, XSS; helmet.js for security headers; HTTPS.
Session 9: Caching & Optimization
- Redis for sessions and cache layers (redis npm).
- Query optimization, lazy loading, and pagination patterns.
- Structured logging (Winston or Pino): observability as standard, not an afterthought—in production you’ll read logs more than you write new code; JSON logs, levels, and correlation IDs.
Session 10: Message Queues & Events
- BullMQ (Redis-based) or Kafka basics via kafkajs.
- Pub/sub and event-driven patterns for scalability.
Level 3: Engineering Edge (2026 Special)
DevOps, cloud, and AI—differentiators for senior/lead roles in a cloud-native era.
Session 11: DevOps & CI/CD
- Docker basics: images, containers, and Dockerfile for Node apps.
- GitHub Actions for CI/CD pipelines.
- IaC intro: Terraform basics for infra.
Session 12: Cloud & Deployment
- AWS/GCP free tier or Vercel for Node.js deployment.
- Serverless: AWS Lambda with Serverless Framework.
- Kubernetes mini-intro (Docker Desktop) and auto-scaling concepts.
Session 13: AI Integration & Observability
- API integration vs AI engineering: calling the OpenAI API is one thing; building reliable, cost-effective AI features is another. We touch the gap so you know when “integrate an API” is enough vs when you need more.
- OpenAI API in Node.js (openai npm)—e.g. chat/summarization endpoints.
- RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) and vector databases (Pinecone, Milvus, or similar) in brief: when you need “your data + LLM” instead of raw prompts.
- Prometheus + Grafana or Sentry for metrics and observability; tie back to structured logging from Session 9.
Session 14: Final Project & Portfolio
- Build a full-stack API (e.g. e-commerce backend with JWT auth, payments webhook, microservice-style with Express).
- Deploy to Vercel/AWS; document with README + API docs (Swagger); showcase on GitHub and LinkedIn.
Interested in this course? I offer mentoring and structured learning—get in touch to discuss your goals.