Node.JS From Essentials To Mastery (Best Books)

- Node.js

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Have you ever experienced this intense need for mastering Node.JS but at the same time had no time or possibility to get started? Or, what’s even worse, you might have faced the challenge of dealing with books and guides that only left a complete mess in your head? Well, it is time to finally make things easy, as we are here to help you overcome your doubts and provide you with the most comprehensive and useful Node.JS books available online. With this collection at hand, you will get the most profound understanding of Node.JS principles and a vigorous inspiration to put newly acquired knowledge into practice.

Pro Express.js by Azat Mardan

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Pro Express.js is the result of the author’s more than 12 years’ experience in web development. The book concentrates specifically on Express.js framework as a standard part of Node.JS for web app server development. On more than 239 pages of the print Node.js book, you will get the most detailed picture of what Express.js is as well as a number of quick start guides and installation recommendations. Moreover, the book contains:

  • over 20 thoroughly explained tutorials and examples, including REST API, HackHall, Todo App and Instagram Gallery;
  • useful tips and tricks on how to use streams, clusters, authentication, domains, Socket.IO and other framework’s elements;
  • a profound overview of the Express.js interface covering all major settings, configurations and error handling methods;
  • a number of smaller open-source examples which are also available on GitHub.

You can purchase this Node.js book on Apress, Amazon and Barns & Nobles in both print ($47) and digital ($35) formats.

Download / Buy Pro Express.js by Azat Mardan

Pro Node.js for Developers

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The title of this Node.js book speaks for itself. If you are an experienced Javascript developer but want to increase skills related to Node.js, give it a try – you will find a lot of interesting facts, aspects, and techniques described in Pro Node.js for Developers.

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Practical Node.js: Building Real-World Scalable Web Apps

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This is the core Node.js book from Azat Mardan that touches upon all aspects of the web dev environment. The author utilizes a step-by-step approach to guide the reader from simple examples towards high-level applications aiming to help developers write in the most efficient and productive way. Here you will find a detailed review of all Node.js components, such as:

  • Express.js 4;
  • Jade template engine (supports dynamic code and follows DRY principle);
  • MongoDB database (used with Mongokin and Mongoose libraries);
  • Hapi.js framework (for building high-end RESTful APIs);
  • OAuth standard;
  • External tools for improved application management (including AWSHerokuNginxUpstartVarnish, and many more);
  • NPM manager with modules.

Practical Node.js is available on Amazon ($38.15 paperback, $38.62 Kindle), Apress ($49.99 paperback, $34.99 Node.js e-book), and Barnes & Noble ($38.15 paperback, $29.99 Nook version).

Download / Buy Practical Node.js: Building Real-World Scalable Web Apps

Web Development with Node and Express by Ethan Brown

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Ethan Brown is a senior developer at a marketing agency with over 20 years of programming experience whose Node.js book has been approved by experts and junior developers worldwide. The author highlights the main peculiarities of Express 4.0 which is the latest version of the framework so far. You will follow a set of handy instructions and recommendations on how to develop single-page, multi-page, and hybrid web applications based on the knowledge of Express’s architecture principles. Particularly, you will learn how to:

  • build a system of webpage templates for dynamic web apps;
  • work with Express API elements, such as middlewares, URL routing and request/response objects;
  • create simulated environments for testing your apps;
  • work with local databases, primarily MongoDB;
  • expose your webpage to external servers through RESTful APIs;
  • secure your web applications;
  • integrate your apps with various third-party services;
  • plan further launching and support of your app;
  • handle critical debugging cases.

The Node.js book is available in print for $39.99 and as an e-book for $25.99.

Download / Buy Web Development with Node and Express by Ethan Brown

Mixu’s Node book

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In his free Node.js book, Mikito Takada (aka Mixu) gives a comprehensive insight on NodeJS and its basic libraries for those struggling to make apps of their own in the given environment. The book comprises three main blocks:

1.  Basics – an overview of core principles of NodeJS and its primary and secondary components. A separate section is devoted to Node’s asynchronous control flow which exists for a more productive structuring of your apps.

2. Node.js libraries and patterns presents a detailed description of Node’s stacks and core modules, including timers, streams, and event emitters. In addition, this part introduces HTTP/HTTPS interfaces which are also available in the environment for providing a full support of HTTP applications.

3. Specialized topics. This block seems to remain unfinished, although it does have a complete chapter dedicated to Comet realization in NodeJS with the help of Socket.IO library specializing in real-time client-server communication.

The Node.js book is written in the plain and accessible language together with highly illustrative examples, which might be especially useful for the beginners.

You can read Mixu’s Node book right from the author’s official website with an option to download it in other suitable formats.

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Professional Node.js: Building JavaScript Based Scalable Software by Pedro Teixeira

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Professional Node.js is the work of Pedro Teixeira who is considered to be a cofounder of The Node Firm as well as the author of many specialized modules for Node.js. This Node.js book reveals all the essential concepts of Node.js and provides exhaustive explanations of the environment’s components on the basis of clear code illustrations. The author allows you to gradually plunge into the gulf of web development by starting from the introduction of asynchronous coding and major modules, events and timers, and ending with useful debugging and testing tools, CouchDB and MongoDB databases, and suggestions as to how to build efficient HTTP servers.

The Node.js book can be purchased on Amazon for $37.75 as a Kindle e-book and for $33.58 as a print version.

Download / Buy Professional Node.js: Building JavaScript Based Scalable Software by Pedro Teixeira

Mastering node.js by TJ Holowaychuk

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An open-source, although still incomplete, e-book on Node.js by TJ Holowaychuk was originally written with the help of markdown files on GitHub and was later converted into more convenient formats, mainly pdf, mobi, epub, and html. Despite a sufficient lack of material, the book does present important concepts of Node, several installation methods, primary components, and the Node.js file system. The author actively encourages programmers concerned with the topic for the contribution to his project and hopes that Mastering node.js will someday be finished. Nevertheless, the book is still a good source of basic knowledge of Node.js environment.

Download / Buy Mastering node.js by TJ Holowaychuk

Node.js in Practice by Alex Young and Marc Harter

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Following the name of the book, Node.js in Practice is a thorough compilation of practical examples on everyday use of Node.js environment. The team of experienced authors aims their book at those who already acquired theoretical knowledge of the subject and now work for gaining some practical skills too. The Node.js book is structured according to the Problem/Solution principle, which makes it easy to follow. Moreover, all the examples are provided with additional annotations so that the reader could get the most exhaustive idea of Node’s functional elements. Overall, the book includes:

  • 115 illustrative examples of Node’s practical application, ranging from simple to advanced ones;
  • useful techniques for building and testing Node.js modules;
  • tips on testing and debugging applications;
  • third-party service integration tips.

Having purchased the paperback version of the book for $38.29, you also get a free e-book version in several formats.

Download / Buy Node.js in Practice by Alex Young and Marc Harter

Node.js in Action by Mike Cantelon, Marc Harter, TJ Holowaychuk, and Nathan Rajlich

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This Node.js book is actually intended to be read before the readers get to the previously mentioned Node.js in Practice, as it provides a complete theoretical coverage of Node.js and major principles of asynchronous I/O. Apart from fundamental discussion, Node.js in Action includes a set of real-time app examples, such as chat, microblogging, games, and many more. With this book, you will learn how to build your own Node modules and productive high-end applications.

The paperback book costs only $29.48 together with a free e-book in various formats.

Download / Buy Node.js in Action by Mike Cantelon, Marc Harter, TJ Holowaychuk, and Nathan Rajlich

Hands-on Node.js by Pedro Teixeira

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This is a Node.js e-book by Pedro Teixeira where he concentrates specifically on code examples and techniques with a minimum of general descriptions. The book is structured in a logical way so that a person could gradually shift from basic concepts and setup to practical learning. The reader is likely to quickly adapt to Node.js environment and set off for building Node-based apps of his own. You can purchase Hands-on Node.js on leanpub for just $11.99.

Download / Buy Hands-on Node.js by Pedro Teixeira

The Node Beginner Book by Manuel Kiessling

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This book is a starting point for all wishing to crack JavaScript as a nut, for Node.js is a source of pretty advanced JavaScript thus requiring full capacity and devotion from a beginning developer. The Node Beginner Book includes:

  • Introduction
  • Overview of the ways in which JavaScript works in Node.js
  • Tips on building app stacks
  • Set of practical examples
  • Major testing and debugging techniques.

The book is available on leanpub for $7.26.

Download / Buy The Node Beginner Book by Manuel Kiessling

The Node Craftsman Book by Manuel Kiessling

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The second book by Manuel Kiessling presents a tutorial on advanced Node.js requiring the basic experience of the environment to be able to handle more difficult tasks. The reader will get deeper into the Node-based web development, specifically:

  • Connection to Node’s primary databases;
  • Unit and end-to-end testing;
  • Setting up a continuous workflow;
  • Description of NPM;
  • Object-orientation features in Node.js;
  • Non-blocking I/O for maintaining your apps;
  • Building RESTful apps;
  • Node.js integration with Angular.js.

These and many other topics are covered in The Node Craftsman Book which you can purchase from leanpub for  $27.83.

Download / Buy The Node Craftsman Book by Manuel Kiessling

Node.js the Right Way

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Is a Node.js book by Jim Wilson that describes various practical aspects of server-side development with Node.js. Its core aim is to teach you how to create compact, robust, fast, networked Node apps that scale.

Download / Buy Node.js the Right Way: Practical, Server-Side JavaScript That Scales

Node.js Web Development

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In this Node.js book, David Herron also covers such topic as server-side JavaScript development with Node.js. After reading and mastering the book, you will know a lot of vital aspects of development and deployment with Node, find out how to use Express.js, Bootstrap, and other technologies, as well as get a deep insight into Node.js deployment to live servers (with the help of Docker). And that’s just a small list of topics covered by the book.

Download / Buy Node.js Web Development

Node.js Design Patterns

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The Node.js Design Patterns book will teach you how to get the most out of the technology by learning various patterns and techniques. Thus, you will get an idea of creating apps that are modular, scalable, and efficient. The book describes both Node.js core aspects and advanced development tricks.

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Beginning Node.js

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If you have no ideas about how to start your first acquaintance with Node.js, then we recommend you to check Beginning Node.js by Basarat Syed. This step-by-step guide for learning aspects of creating Node.js apps has a high rating and positive reviews on Amazon.

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Node.js: Easy Guide Book for Beginners

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Another useful book for those developers who have just started their career and want to master Node.js. The author of the book climes that you will learn the framework within just one day!

Download / Buy Node.js: Easy Guide Book for Beginners. Learn Node.js Framework in 1 Day!

Node.js for Embedded Systems

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This one is an advanced Node.js book that describes such complicated process as the connection of various devices to the IoT via Node.js. If you are interested in this topic, check the book, since it will make your study especially useful.

Download / Buy Node.js for Embedded Systems: Building Web Interfaces for Connected Devices

RESTful Web API Design with Node.js

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In this Node.js book, Valentin Bojinov tells how to create a fully featured RESTful API solution from scratch leveraging such technologies as Node.JS, Express, MongoDB, and NoSQL. Besides, you will find out how to seamlessly connect MongoDB to your Node.js app. Go to the Amazon page of the book for further information.

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Secure Your Node.js Web Application

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Learn how to prevent your Node.js apps from cyber-criminals with Secure Your Node.js Web Application. The book will teach you how to code in a more secure manner, so you will become a stronger web developer.

Download / Buy Secure Your Node.js Web Application: Keep Attackers Out and Users Happy