Learning Node.js

A Hands-On Guide to Building Web Applications in JavaScript

Node.js makes it far easier to create fast, compact, and reliable web/network applications and web servers, and is rapidly becoming indispensable to modern web developers.

Learning Node.js brings together the knowledge and JavaScript code you need to build master the Node.js platform and build server-side applications with extraordinary speed and scalability.

You’ll start by installing and running Node.js, understanding the extensions it uses, and quickly writing your first app. Next, building on the basics, you’ll write more capable application servers and extend them with today’s most powerful Node.js tools and modules. Finally, you’ll discover today’s best practices for testing, running Node.js code on production servers, and writing command-line utilities.

Throughout the book, author Marc Wandschneider teaches by walking you line-by-line through carefully crafted examples, demonstrating proven techniques for creating highly efficient applications and servers.

• Build Node.js solutions that leverage your current JavaScript skills
• Master Node.js nonblocking IO and async programming
• Handle more requests and increase your application’s flexibility
• Use and write your own modules
• Perform common JSON/web server tasks
• Use browsers to generate pages on the fly via Ajax calls and template libraries
• Simplify development with the express framework
• Create database back-ends using popular NoSQL and relational databases
• Deploy and run Node.js apps on Unix/OS X or Windows servers
• Take advantage of multiprocessor hardware
• Support virtual hosts and SSL/HTTPS security
• Test Node.js programs that mix synchronous, async, and RESTful server API functionality

Table of Contents

Part I: Learning to Walk
Chapter 1 Getting Started
Chapter 2 A Closer Look at JavaScript
Chapter 3 Asynchronous Programming

Part II: Learning to Run
Chapter 4 Writing Simple Applications
Chapter 5 Modules
Chapter 6 Expanding Your Web Server

Part III: Writing Web Applications
Chapter 7 Building Web Applications with Express
Chapter 8 Databases I: NoSQL (MongoDB)
Chapter 9 Databases II: SQL (MySQL)

Part IV: Getting the Most Out of Node.js
Chapter 10 Deployment and Development
Chapter 11 Command-Line Programming
Chapter 12 Testing