Node.js: Building Backends with JavaScript

Node.js allows you to run JavaScript outside the browser. It uses an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model that makes it efficient for building APIs and real-time applications. With Node.js you can create HTTP servers, CLI tools, bots, task runners, and background jobs. It powers a huge ecosystem of libraries through npm and is widely used for backend services in modern startups. When to choose Node.js? If your team already knows JavaScript and you want to reuse skills on both frontend and backend, Node.js is an excellent choice. It is perfect for JSON APIs, microservices, and real-time features like chat. Example flow: A client sends a request to /api/users, Node.js receives it, talks to the database, then responds with JSON. Frameworks like Express.js make this even easier by handling routing and middleware. Pair Node.js with TypeScript, Express.js (or NestJS), and a database like MongoDB or PostgreSQL for a powerful full-stack setup.