How does the Node.js event loop handle asynchronous file and network operations?

Node.js delegates many I/O tasks to the operating system or libuv, then uses the event loop to run their callbacks when the work is ready.

What is the difference between module.exports and exports in Node.js?

exports initially references module.exports, but assigning a new object to exports breaks that reference. Export reusable values through module.exports.

How do you create a basic HTTP server in Node.js?

Use the built-in http module, call http.createServer() with a request handler, and call server.listen() on a port.

Free online course NodeJS for beginners

Duration of the online course: 6 hours and 51 minutes

New

Build backend skills fast with this free Node.js course—learn modules, async patterns, npm and HTTP servers to ship real apps and boost your career.

In this free course, learn about

What Node.js is and how it differs from browser JavaScript
ECMAScript basics and JavaScript core specification concepts
How V8 compiles/executes JS and where it fits in the Node runtime
JavaScript runtime components: call stack, Web APIs/libuv, task & microtask queues
Node module system: local modules, require/import, exports vs module.exports
Module scope, wrapper (IIFE) purpose, caching, and export/import patterns
Using built-in modules like path, events, fs, http; importing JSON files
Callbacks, EventEmitter, streams/buffers, pipes, encoding, async patterns
Building HTTP servers: createServer, routing, sending JSON/HTML/templates
Node internals: libuv, thread pool size, network I/O, event loop phases
Microtasks and scheduling: process.nextTick, setImmediate, timers and I/O polling
npm workflow: package.json, installing/using packages, deps, semver, global vs local
Creating npm scripts, publishing packages, and building CLI tools (bin, options, prompts)
Concurrency scaling: cluster module, worker threads, and deployment basics

About the free online course

Want to move from writing JavaScript in the browser to building fast, reliable backend services? This free Node.js course is designed to help beginners understand how Node works under the hood and how to use it confidently in real projects. You will start with the essentials behind modern JavaScript and the runtime concepts that make Node unique, then connect that knowledge to practical development workflows that backend roles expect.

Instead of treating Node as a black box, you will learn what powers it: the V8 engine, the runtime environment, and the key pieces that make asynchronous I/O possible. You will see why Node behaves differently from browser JavaScript, how code is organized and reused through modules, and how different export and import patterns affect maintainability. By building a clear mental model early, you will make better architectural decisions as your applications grow.

As you progress, you will work with core capabilities used daily in backend development, including events, buffers, streams, the file system, and piping data efficiently. You will also explore HTTP fundamentals by creating a server, returning JSON and HTML responses, and handling simple routing, which prepares you to transition smoothly into full frameworks later. The course also clarifies encoding, character sets, and stream-based workflows so you can handle real-world data without surprises.

To deepen your understanding of performance and concurrency, you will unpack how libuv, the event loop, microtask queues, timers, and the thread pool cooperate to execute your code. These topics are often confusing for beginners, but they are the difference between code that merely works and systems that scale without random slowdowns.

Finally, you will get comfortable with npm and the Node ecosystem: packages, dependencies, versioning, scripts, and practical patterns for building and publishing tools, including CLI applications. By the end, you will be able to read Node projects with confidence, write clean modular code, and take the next step toward backend development and professional Node.js work.

Course content

Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 1 - Introduction 06m
Exercise: _What is Syncfusion and what do they offer?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 2 - ECMAScript 05m
Exercise: What is the core specification of JavaScript?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 3 - Chrome's V8 Engine 05m
Exercise: What is the V8 engine and its primary language?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 4 - JavaScript Runtime 03m
Exercise: _What are the components of the JavaScript runtime in the browser?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 5 - What is Node.js? 07m
Exercise: What is Node.js primarily known for?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 6 - Hello World 05m
Exercise: What is one method to run JavaScript code using Node.js?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 7 - Browser vs Node.js 02m
Exercise: _What is the primary difference between writing JavaScript code for the browser and for Node.js?

Video class: Node.js Tutorials - 8 - Modules 01m
Exercise: What is a local module in Node.js?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 9 - Local Modules 07m
Exercise: How can you include a local module in Node.js?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 10 - Module Exports 03m
Exercise: _What is the right way to create and reuse a block of code in Node.js?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 11 - Module Scope 04m
Exercise: What is logged in the console when running node index.js with module scope?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 12 - Module Wrapper 05m
Exercise: What is the purpose of wrapping Node.js modules in an IIFE?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 13 - Module Caching 09m
Exercise: _What is module caching in Node.js?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 14 - Import Export Patterns 06m
Exercise: What is the recommended practice for exporting functions in Node.js?
Video class: Node.js Tutorials - 15 - Module.Exports vs Exports 08m
Exercise: What happens when a new object is assigned to 'exports' in Node.js?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 16 - ES Modules 09m
Exercise: _What is the standardized module system in JavaScript called as part of the language itself?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 17 - Importing JSON and Watch Mode 05m
Exercise: What is the function of the 'require' method when importing a JSON file in Node.js?
Video class: Node.js Tutorials - 18 - Built-in Modules 01m
Exercise: What are the types of modules in Node.js as mentioned in the course?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 19 - Path Module 12m
Exercise: _What is the purpose of the path module in NodeJS?

Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 20 - Callback Pattern 06m
Exercise: What is a callback function in JavaScript?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 21 - Events Module 08m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 22 - Extending from EventEmitter 08m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 23 - Character Sets and Encoding 06m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 24 - Streams and Buffers 09m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 25 - Asynchronous JavaScript 05m
Exercise: _What is the main problem with JavaScript's synchronous, blocking, and single-threaded nature?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 26 - fs Module 12m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 27 - fs Promise Module 05m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 28 - Streams 07m
Exercise: _What is a stream in Node.js?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 29 - Pipes 04m

Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 30 - HTTP Module 03m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 31 - Creating a Node Server 07m
Exercise: _What is the purpose of the createServer method in the HTTP module?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 32 - JSON Response 03m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 33 - HTML Response 06m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 34 - HTML Template 03m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 35 - HTTP Routing 05m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 36 - Web Framework 03m

Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 37 - Node Runtime Recap 04m
Exercise: _What are the three major components of the Node.js runtime?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 38 - libuv 01m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 39 - Thread Pool 08m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 40 - Thread Pool Size 07m
Exercise: _How many threads are there in Libuey's thread pool by default?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 41 - Network I/O 06m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 42 - Event Loop 14m
Video class: Node.js Tutorials - 43 - Microtask Queues 14m
Exercise: _What is the method used to queue up a callback function into the next tick queue in Node.js?
Video class: Node.js Tutorials - 44 - Timer Queue 10m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 45 - I/O Queue 11m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 46 - I/O Polling 05m
Exercise: _What function can be used to queue a callback function into the check queue in NodeJS?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 47 - Check Queue 12m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 48 - Close Queue 04m

Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 49 - What is npm? 04m
Exercise: _What is npm and why do we need to learn about it?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 50 - package.json 07m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 51 - Installing Packages 05m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 52 - Using Packages 03m
Exercise: _How do you import a third-party module in Node.js?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 53 - Dependencies 03m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 54 - Versioning 05m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 55 - Global Packages 03m
Exercise: _What is the difference between local and global packages in Node.js?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 56 - npm Scripts 02m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 57 - Publishing an npm Package 04m

Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 58 - Building CLI Tools 05m
Exercise: _What is the purpose of the "bin" field in the package.json file when creating a CLI tool with Node.js?
Video class: Node.js Tutorials - 59 - CLI Options 06m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 60 - Interactive CLI Tools 05m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 61 - Cluster Module 15m
Exercise: _What is the cluster module in Node.js used for?
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 62 - Worker Threads Module 06m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 63 - Deploying Node.js App 04m
Video class: Node.js Tutorial - 64 - Wrapping Up 02m

Learn aboutJavaScript

Explore the best free online JavaScript courses with certificates and build in-demand web development skills at your own pace. Learn JavaScript fundamentals, DOM manipulation, ES6, APIs, frameworks, and more through beginner-friendly and advanced classes. Enroll today, earn a certificate, and strengthen your resume for developer career opportunities.

Learn aboutNodeJS

Explore free online NodeJS courses with certificates and learn to build fast, scalable server-side applications. Master Node.js fundamentals, JavaScript back-end development, APIs, Express, databases, authentication, and deployment through flexible lessons designed for beginners and developers seeking practical, job-ready skills.