Node.js Backend - One Project At A Time

Introduction

Welcome to the Node.js Backend project series! In this series of projects, you will learn how to build various Node.js applications by tackling one project at a time. Each project focuses on a specific topic or feature, allowing you to gradually gain a deeper understanding of Node.js and its capabilities. Let's get started!

After some thought processes and thinking back to how I got better at coding, I have decided to come up with a strategy that I have been working on for a while now. I think I will help every one of us become backend developers with solid knowledge in either PHP & Laravel stack or JavaScript & Node.js stack. And good knowledge of Databases.

We will call it Node.js Backend - One Project At A Time. This program comprises 10 projects with user stories, descriptions, and concepts. This is an opportunity for you to leverage your front-end strengths with the backend you are learning.

Duration

The estimated duration for completing all 10 projects is approximately 30 days - 60 days.

Technologies

You can use any frontend framework or technologies, such as HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript (ES6, ES5, ES7), Bootstrap, Tailwind, SCSS, Saas, TypeScript, React, Vue, etc. However, our main focus will be on the backend technologies.

For those who selected PHP:

• Main Target: PHP, Laravel, MySQL, PostgreSQL, APIs.
  PHP Backend Project Guide: https://github.com/programmify-workspace/2024-PHP-Backend-one-project-at-a-time

For those who selected Node.js:

• Main Target: Node.js, JavaScript, TypeScript, Express, MySQL, PostgreSQL, APIs.

Project Structure

The projects are designed to help you gain practical experience in building real-world applications. Each project will have a user story, description, and concepts that you will learn as you build them. Feel free to choose a frontend template that suits the specific project you are working on, allowing you to focus primarily on the backend development.

Projects Overview

1. Understanding how Node.js MVC Frameworks Work
2. To-Do List
3. URL Shortener
4. PDF Generation
5. Email Sending
6. Portfolio Website
7. Shopping Cart
8. CRUD with Sorting, Filtering, Pagination
9. Simple Quiz System
10. Blog Platform

Projects

Project 1: Understanding How Node.js MVC Frameworks Work

User Story: As a developer, I want to understand how Node.js MVC (Model-View-Controller) frameworks work, so I can leverage their benefits in my future projects.

Steps:

1. Learn the basic concepts of the MVC design pattern.
2. Choose a Node.js MVC framework (e.g., Express.js, Adonis.js, Nest.js).
3. Set up the framework and create a simple "Hello, World!" application.
4. Explore the directory structure and understand the role of each component (models, views, controllers).
5. Build a basic CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) functionality for a sample entity.

Project 2: To-Do List

User Story: As a user, I want to manage my tasks by adding, editing, deleting them, and marking them as complete or incomplete, so I can keep track of what needs to be done.

Steps:

1. Set up a new Node.js project and install Express and MySQL.
2. Create an Express server and define routes for adding, reading, updating, and deleting tasks.
3. Design a basic HTML template to display tasks and forms.
4. Implement the backend logic to store and retrieve tasks from MySQL.
5. Test the application to ensure all CRUD operations work correctly.

Project 3: URL Shortener

User Story: As a user, I want to shorten long URLs so they are easier to share and manage.

Steps:

1. Set up a new Node.js project and install Express and MySQL.
2. Create an Express server and define routes for creating and retrieving shortened URLs.
3. Design a basic HTML template with a form to input the long URL.
4. Implement the backend logic to generate a unique shortened URL.
5. Store the original and shortened URLs in MySQL.

Project 4: PDF Generation

User Story: As a user, I want to generate PDF documents dynamically based on specific data or templates.

Steps:

1. Install and configure a Node.js library for PDF generation (e.g., pdfkit, Puppeteer).
2. Design a basic template for the PDF document.
3. Fetch data from a database or an API.
4. Populate the template with the fetched data.
5. Generate and download the PDF document with the populated data.

Project 5: Email Sending

User Story: As a user, I want to send emails from my application to notify users, share updates, or communicate information.

Steps:

1. Set up an email service provider or use a local mail server for sending emails.
2. Create an email template with placeholders for dynamic content.
3. Design an interface to compose and send emails.
4. Implement email validation and security measures.
5. Send test emails and handle any delivery errors or exceptions.

Project 6: Portfolio Website

User Story: As a user, I want to create a personal portfolio website to showcase my skills, projects, and experiences using my favorite programming language. I also want to purchase a domain name, host my website, and set up an email server.

Steps:

1. Set up a new project using your favorite programming language.
2. Design and implement HTML templates for different sections (home, about, projects, contact).
3. Store and retrieve project information dynamically from a MySQL database.
4. Purchase a domain name from Namecheap and host the website on Vercel or Netlify.
5. Set up an email server using Zoho Mail for professional communication.

Project 7: Shopping Cart

User Story: As a shopper, I want to add products to a cart, view the cart contents, and complete the checkout process.

Steps:

1. Create a product listing page with add-to-cart buttons.
2. Implement session management to store the cart items.
3. Build a cart page to display the selected products and allow quantity adjustments or removal.
4. Develop a checkout process with billing and shipping information.
5. Integrate a payment gateway for order processing (optional).

Project 8: CRUD with Sorting, Filtering, Pagination

User Story: As a user, I want to perform CRUD operations (Create, Read, Update, Delete) on a set of records and apply sorting, filtering, and pagination for better data management.

Steps:

1. Create a database table to store the records.
2. Build a user interface with forms for creating, updating, and deleting records.
3. Implement listing functionality with sorting options.
4. Add filtering capabilities based on specific criteria or search terms.
5. Enable pagination to display a limited number of records per page.

Project 9: Simple Quiz System

User Story: As a user, I want to create a simple quiz system where users can answer questions and see their scores, along with feedback on whether they got each question correct or incorrect.

Steps:

1. Set up a new project using Node.js and Express.js
2. Design and implement HTML templates for the quiz interface.
3. Create a MySQL database to store quiz questions and user responses.
4. Implement a backend to serve quiz questions and handle user submissions.
5. Calculate and display the user's score and provide feedback on each question (correct or incorrect) after the quiz is completed.

Project 10: Blog Platform

User Story: As a user, I want to create a blog platform where I can publish posts, manage content, and allow readers to comment on my posts.

Steps:

1. Design and implement HTML templates for the blog interface.
2. Create a MySQL database to store blog posts, user profiles, and comments.
3. Implement a backend to handle blog post creation, editing, deletion, and commenting functionalities.
4. Enable user authentication and authorization for managing posts and comments.
5. Implement pagination for the blog post list and comments section.

Recommended Tutorials & Documentations:

1. Git and GitHub Tutorial for Beginners
   LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRZGeaHPoaw

2. Tutorial for Beginners: Learn Node in 1 Hour
   LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlB_eWDSMt4
   Learn the Baisc of Nodejs

3. React Tutorial for Beginners
   LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqcY0GlETPk

4. How to build a REST API with Node js & Express
   LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKd0Rpw7O48
   Modern - Build a REST API with Node JS and Express | CRUD API Tutorial
   LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8WPWK9mS5M
   Learn how to create RestFUL API and Express

5. What is MySQL? Everything You Need to Know
   LINK: https://www.talend.com/resources/what-is-mysql/#:~:text=MySQL%20is%20a%20relational%20database,information%20in%20a%20corporate%20network.
   MySQL Tutorial for Beginners [Full Course]
   LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S_tz1z_5bA

6. Beginners Guide: MongoDB Basics
   LINK: https://www.mongodb.com/resources/products/fundamentals/basics
   Learn MongoDB in 1 Hour 🍃 (2023)
   LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2M-rlkkT5o

Tools You Might Need

1. Node.js: Node.js is a JavaScript runtime built on Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine. It allows you to run JavaScript code on the server-side, making it the foundation of Node.js backend development. You need to install Node.js to run your Node.js backend projects.

2. Text Editor or Integrated Development Environment (IDE): You can use a text editor or an IDE to write your Node.js backend code. Some popular options include:

   • Visual Studio Code: Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a lightweight and feature-rich code editor with built-in support for Node.js development. It offers features like syntax highlighting, code completion, debugging, and an integrated terminal, making it a powerful tool for Node.js programming.

   • WebStorm: WebStorm is a full-fledged IDE designed specifically for web development. It provides advanced features for Node.js development, including intelligent code completion, debugging tools, and integrated version control.

3. Git: Git is a version control system that allows you to track changes, collaborate, and manage your codebase efficiently. You can use Git to clone project repositories, create branches, and collaborate with others on your Node.js backend projects.

4. GitHub or GitLab: GitHub and GitLab are web-based platforms for hosting Git repositories. They provide features like project management, issue tracking, and collaboration tools. You can use them to host your Node.js backend projects, share your code with others, and facilitate collaboration.

5. Node Package Manager (npm): npm is the default package manager for Node.js. It allows you to install, manage, and use third-party libraries and packages in your Node.js projects. You can use npm to install dependencies required by your backend projects.

6. Express.js: Express.js is a popular web application framework for Node.js. It provides a set of robust features and utilities for building web servers and APIs. You can use Express.js to handle routing, middleware, and other backend functionalities in your Node.js projects.

7. Database Management System: Depending on your project requirements, you may need to install and set up a database management system. For this project, you can make use:

   • MongoDB: MongoDB is a NoSQL database that stores data in a flexible, JSON-like format. It is commonly used for building scalable and flexible applications.

   • MySQL: MySQL is a popular relational database management system that uses structured query language (SQL) for managing and querying data.

   • PostgreSQL: PostgreSQL is another powerful open-source relational database system known for its extensibility and advanced features.

8. API Testing Tool: For testing and interacting with APIs, you might need an API testing tool. Some popular options include:

   • Postman: Postman is a widely used API development and testing tool. It allows you to send requests, analyze responses, and automate API testing and documentation.

   • Insomnia: Insomnia is another popular REST API client that provides a clean and intuitive interface for testing and debugging APIs.

   • curl: curl is a command-line tool for making HTTP requests. It can be used for manual testing and automation of API interactions.

9. Additional Libraries and Modules: Depending on the specific requirements of your Node.js backend projects, you may need to install additional libraries or modules. For example, if you're working with PDF generation, you can use libraries like pdfkit or Puppeteer. If you need to send emails, you can use libraries like nodemailer, for email verification, you can use crypto library. The choice of libraries will vary based on your project needs.

These are some of the essential tools and software you will need to work on Node.js backend projects. Make sure to install and

These Node.js backend projects cover various aspects of backend development, such as data handling, file generation, email sending, API integration, user management, and event management. You can choose the projects that align with your learning goals and gradually work on them to gain practical experience. Remember to leverage the Node.js ecosystem and its libraries to simplify your development process.

Good luck with your Node.js backend projects, and happy coding!