Node.js: Novice to Ninja

389 Pages·2022·6.825 MB·English

by  Craig Buckler

i
Node.js: Novice to Ninja
Copyright © 2022 SitePoint Pty. Ltd.
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ii Node.js: Novice to Ninja
About Craig Buckler
Craig is a UK-based freelance full-stack web developer, writer, and speaker
who’s passionate about standards and performance.
He began coding in the 1980s and started client-side JavaScript development
on its release in 1995 when DHTML, spacer GIFs, and marquees were
considered sophisticated. You may have encountered his work at SitePoint,
where he’s written more than 1,200 tutorials, and books includingJump Start
Web Performance,Browser DevTool Secrets, andDocker for Web Developers.
Craig used Node.js from the start and hopes this book is a great first step on
your server-side JavaScript journey. Contact him on Twitter @craigbuckler or
at craigbuckler.com.
About SitePoint
SitePoint specializes in publishing fun, practical, and easy-to-understand
content for web professionals. Visithttps://www.sitepoint.com/to access our
blogs, books, newsletters, articles, and community forums. You’ll find a stack
of information on JavaScript, PHP, Ruby, mobile development, design, and
more.
Table of Contents iii
Table of Contents
Preface
.........................................................................................xvii
Chapter 1: What is Node.js?..................................1
Why Learn Node.js?...........................................................................3
It’s JavaScript.............................................................................3
It’s Fast..........................................................................................4
It’s Real-time..............................................................................5
It’s Lightweight.........................................................................5
It’s Modular.................................................................................5
It’s Extendible............................................................................5
It’s Open Source......................................................................6
It’s Everywhere.........................................................................6
Summary.................................................................................................7
Quiz............................................................................................................7
Chapter 2: Install Node.js........................................9
Choosing a Node.js Version.........................................................11
iv Node.js: Novice to Ninja
How to Install Node.js on Linux (or Windows WSL2).......11
Configuring npm Global Permissions on Linux.......12
How to Install Node.js on macOS..............................................13
How to Install Node.js on Windows........................................14
How to Install Node.js on Other Devices..............................14
Run JavaScript Commands in the Node.js REPL..............14
Summary..............................................................................................16
Quiz.........................................................................................................16
Chapter 3: Your First Node.js
Application
................................................................................18
Your First Console App..................................................................19
Your First Web Server App..........................................................25
Restarting Node.js Applications with Nodemon...............32
Web Application Considerations..............................................33
Summary..............................................................................................35
Quiz.........................................................................................................36
Chapter 4: How to Debug Node.js
Scripts
.............................................................................................38
Table of Contents v
What is Debugging?.......................................................................39
How to Avoid Bugs..........................................................................39
Use a Good Code Editor....................................................39
Use a Code Linter.................................................................40
Use Source Control.............................................................42
Adopt an Issue-tracking System...................................42
Use Test-driven Development.......................................43
Node.js Debugging Environment Variables........................43
Node.js Debugging Command-line Options......................44
Console Debugging........................................................................44
Node.js util.debuglog.....................................................................47
Debugging with Logging Modules..........................................47
Node.js V8 Inspector......................................................................48
Debugging Node.js Apps with Chrome.................................49
Debugging Node.js Apps with VS Code...............................53
Advanced Debugging Configuration..........................56
Other Node.js Debugging Tools................................................58
Exercise: Debugging webhello.js.............................................59
Summary..............................................................................................61
Debugging Terminology...................................................62
vi Node.js: Novice to Ninja
Quiz.........................................................................................................64
Chapter 5: Getting Started with Express
................................................................................................................66
Why use Express?...........................................................................67
Create a New Node.js Project...................................................68
Switch to ES6 Modules.................................................................70
Install Express.....................................................................................71
Create the Express Entry Script................................................73
Should You Switch to HTTPS?...................................................77
Serve Static Files..............................................................................78
Express Middleware Functions.................................................81
Define Working Directories.........................................................82
Compressing HTTP Responses................................................84
Disable Express Identification....................................................85
Handle 404 Not Found Errors...................................................86
Add an HTML Template Engine...............................................86
Advanced Routing...........................................................................91
Routing Path Expressions.................................................91
Routing Path Parameters..................................................92
Table of Contents vii
HTTP Route Methods.........................................................92
Creating a Route Handler.................................................93
Exercises..............................................................................................99
Summary..............................................................................................99
Quiz.........................................................................................................99
Chapter 6: Processing Form Data with
Express
.........................................................................................101
Processing HTTP GET Query Strings....................................103
Processing HTTP Post Body Data..........................................107
Processing Uploaded Files........................................................111
Exercises............................................................................................117
Summary............................................................................................118
Quiz.......................................................................................................118
Chapter 7: How to Use the npm Node
Package Manager
............................................................120
Global vs Local Packages..........................................................121
npm Help...........................................................................................122
npm Configuration.........................................................................123
viii Node.js: Novice to Ninja
Project Initialization.......................................................................123
Semantic Versioning.........................................................127
Project Dependencies......................................................127
Development Dependencies........................................127
Searching for Packages..............................................................128
Installing Packages.......................................................................130
Semantic Constraints.......................................................131
“No-install” Execution..................................................................132
Listing Packages............................................................................133
Finding Outdated Packages.....................................................136
Removing Packages.....................................................................137
Using npm Scripts.........................................................................138
Special Scripts.....................................................................139
Pre and Post Scripts.........................................................140
Life Cycle Scripts...............................................................140
Sophisticated Scripting...................................................140
Publishing Packages....................................................................142
Publishing Tips....................................................................144
Exercises............................................................................................144
Summary............................................................................................145
Table of Contents ix
Quiz.......................................................................................................145
Chapter 8: Using ES2015 and
CommonJS Modules
.....................................................147
CommonJS........................................................................................149
ES2015 Modules (ESM)................................................................151
Comparison of CommonJS and ES2015 Modules..........155
Importing CommonJS Modules in ES2015........................157
Requiring ES2015 Modules in CommonJS.........................157
Using ES2015 Modules in Browsers......................................157
Summary............................................................................................158
Quiz.......................................................................................................159
Chapter 9: Asynchronous Programming
in Node.js
...................................................................................161
Single-threaded Non-blocking I/O Event-looping
What?...................................................................................................162
Callbacks in Action...........................................................164
The Event Loop...............................................................................165
Callback Conundrums................................................................166