Can I Learn Node.js Alone? Essential Things to Know
When we try to simply explain what Node.js is, we always struggle to explain its server-side programming orientation, as well as what is a cross-platform runtime environment. That’s why we suggest learning the essentials first and then moving on to understand the purpose of Node.js and how it’s used nowadays.
The first thing you need to know is that Node.js works with JavaScript, so basic knowledge of it is a must. Once you master the whole thing, you can join a talent network like Adeva and grow as an expert in your field.
When it comes to learning Node.js, you need to start from the essentials. And without JavaScript, it’s pretty impossible to grasp the concept of the Node.js toolkit. Even if you know how to write short programs and simple commands, you still need JavaScript to get better at Node.js, especially if you are focused on building a career around it.
Node.js offers unique benefits to those who use these solutions. At the same time, the developers can always have a nice and tidy look at every step taken in the meantime.
So, before you decide to learn it alone, you have to be aware of a few things, including:
What do we use Node.js for?
Node.js as a solution is used for real-time web applications, which simultaneously function on both the client and server sides. With the help of this communication, data is exchanged, but only at the client’s request. What does that mean?
The client must issue a command for a solution built with Node.js to respond correctly. Without a given command, the application or service does not generate anything, which means that there is no unnecessary consumption of resources.
At the same time, Node is a great solution when you need to build a network application that can handle multiple connections at once. So, you can grab any Node JS tutorial and start learning. But to do that, don’t miss the previous JS lessons.
Can you Learn JavaScript and Node.js at the Same Time?
Experienced programmers and developers would advise you to focus on JavaScript. Many compare skipping steps to not obeying traffic signs. In fact, you are not in a hurry, and to become professionals who, in addition to basic things, also know commands like node js set interval and similar, you need much more time than you think.
So gather all your materials and focus on the steps ahead of you. Even if you already know something, try not to skip the steps. It’s better to redo things than to go back later or make programming mistakes.
Steps in Learning Node.js
You already know that JavaScript is a must when learning Node.js. But what are the next steps you need to understand?
What are Nodes?
There’s a reason it’s called Node.js, and that’s the way it processes blocks called nodes. When nodes are organized into a clear and concise protocol, then communication between all nodes is equally distributed to the user.
This way, highly functional and scalable programs are created, serving even corporate services.
Understand the Non-Blocking Concept
Node.js is known for I/O operations and code that consists of direct instructions, functions, arguments to functions, and results after all procedures have been performed. This means that Node.js executes commands line by line rather than by blocks. If you understand this, you will easily adapt to the whole concept of Node.
What are Libraries, and how are They Used?
Node.js comes with many libraries that you can use to progress your learning. With the help of these libraries, you can rely on the predictability of what you need to do next.
This is an essential part of writing Node code, which must be implemented and executed.
Start Without any Frameworks in Mind
The secret to learning a particular programming concept is to learn the core language or platform and then make your life easier with a certain framework. This way, you can more easily detect errors and resolve them immediately instead of returning later when corrections are more complex.
Why Learn Node.js?
If you are already good at JavaScript, Node.js will be easy for you. Also, thanks to Node, you can become a full-stack web developer, as it covers back-end, front-end, and database integration. Before Node.js, you needed multiple programming languages to cover all these development parts.
And, of course, the strongest reason to learn Node.js is the market demand. If you look at job postings, you’ll see that full-stack developers are often wanted, with a focus on Node.js. And the best thing is that there is an active community on the Internet who are constantly working to improve the development environment with their contribution.
What can you Develop with Node.js?
This environment is authentic and useful, for example, in chat apps or solutions requiring a multi-user approach. However, these applications remain easy to distribute on different devices and cover a large part of the market.
In addition, you can rely on the great flexibility of scheduled inputs, that is, there will never be an overload of the service itself. Of course, the best thing is that you can apply Node.js solutions in data streaming as well because processes can handle large data streams from different sources.
But you must know that Node.js also has certain limits, for example, apps with relational databases in combination with server-side apps, apps that require heavy server computation and data processing, and apps with many requests at once because conflict can arise.
However, as you learn, many of these things will become more transparent and more predictable, and you won’t make mistakes.
Famous Companies that Already Use Node.js
When the initial version of Node.js was released, no one could ever imagine it would become an all-inclusive solution for different applications, including social media apps, chats, video platforms, collaborative tools, time-tracking software, games, etc. Many thought it was just hype, but now, we are aware that Node.js offers a lot more than that.
That’s why we decided to share some success stories of businesses using Node.js for their products. It’s the only way to realize how important it is these days and why it’s worth learning it.
PayPal
We are all familiar with this payment processing system that was initially built using Java and JavaScript. In 2013, they migrated to Node.js to improve the service’s overall performance and provide a better experience for their active users. We must note that they had almost 200 million active users and more than 100 currencies by the time of migration.
Node.js helped PayPal provide browser and server apps while implementing the new technologies and keeping active users.
Netflix
You are undoubtedly familiar with Netflix too. Active users stream about billion hours every week, which is quite a lot of video data. When they decided to switch from Java to Node.js, their goal was to provide the best service possible for the users. Also, they managed to use the same language for both the backend and frontend sides of the streaming platform, making it more convenient for maintenance.
LinkedIn
Many of us already use LinkedIn daily. No matter if you access it from a PC or mobile, you are looking at one of the greatest Node.js implementations in the world. Node.js helped LinkedIn to grow and scale, becoming one of the most significant work-related social media services in the world.
The best thing is that LinkedIn has used Node.js for more than a decade, and it seems it works great for them.
NASA
Can you imagine that? NASA uses Node.js to build advanced solutions and provide safety to astronauts. After some incidents, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration decided it was time to put safety on the top-priority list and protect their astronauts traveling to space.
We all know that space shuttle conditions can be a little too harsh for the astronauts, so keeping them safe and healthy is a must. That’s why NASA used Node.js to build an end-to-end data system and monitor everything while processing a large volume of data at any second.
Mozilla
Mozilla is well-known for the Firefox browser, but they also own a few web projects built with Node.js. Their goal was to use the same language for servers and clients, the same way that Netflix did.
Mozilla’s team was already familiar with Java and JavaScript, so their migration to Node.js came naturally. Now, they have a solution that covers a significant part of the market while providing great service and support to at least half a million active users every day.
Additionally, other famous services use Node.js. Among them, you can find the ride-sharing service Uber, then Trello, Yahoo, Groupon, and eBay. Also, Walmart uses Node.js for its internal and external service solutions.
So, if this is not enough motivation for you to learn Node.js, we don’t really know what else could be.
Final Thoughts
If you were reading carefully, you are aware that learning Node.js requires care, dedication, time, and effort. If you are ready to invest it all in your skills, you will indeed become a great web app developer who offers scalable solutions to clients.
And we are sure you will land the dream job once you are confident with your Node.js development skills. Don’t forget that even if you are a Node master now, you will still have to keep up with the essential updates and learn the new things that come. If you don’t do that, this industry will easily replace you, no matter if you invested so much time in it.
