12 Best Books for Learning Node.js 12 Best Books for Learning Node.js
Review: 5- 5 5 12 Best Books for Learning Node.js

12 Best Books for Learning Node.js

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Node JS
03 Mar 2023
14 min read
Update:

Getting a book is not the first thing that comes to mind when you decide to learn programming, let’s be honest. With so much information available in a simpler form, from free Youtube videos to podcasts, articles, or even some expert’s tweets, you might think that diving into three hundred pages is excessive. However, books can give you deeper insights into the topic and back up your practical skills with an understanding of logic, which is the only way to become a pro. So, here are our top-12 of Node.js books suitable for all kinds of readers, from complete beginners to Javascript wizards. 

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How We Choose The Best Node.js Books: 5 Criteria

Once you start searching for a Node.js book, you’ll see many options, and reading all of them will take you months. We’ve chosen only the crème de la crème of the Node.js books world for this list. How exactly? By assessing these five factors: 

  1. Accuracy and up-to-dateness. Things change fast, so we ensure the book is accurate and up-to-date. Thus, you can be sure you’re learning about the latest tools and techniques. 
  2. Practical examples and exercises. Yes, programming books are all about theory. But a good Node.js learning book should provide practical examples and exercises to help you learn by doing, not just reading. This helps to reinforce the concepts learned in the book and apply them in real-world scenarios.
  3. Expertise and authorship. We check the authors’ credentials to ensure they are professionals in Node.js development. Books written by experienced developers or industry experts tend to be more valuable and provide deeper insights.
  4. Clarity and writing style. You should understand what you’re reading without re-reading it again and again. The writing style should be clear and simple. The author might be a programming genius, but explaining complex topics in an easy way is another talent.
  5. Reviews and ratings. No one knows whether the book is worth reading better than other readers. So we carefully study the reviews and ratings to see if the book was well-received and effective in teaching Node.js.

Bonus criteria that we leave up to you: the book should be compatible with your level of expertise. To make it easier, we’ve divided the list into three parts: Node.js books for beginners, people with an intermediate level of experience, and advanced Node.js developers.

Node.js Books For Beginners

If you’re starting your way in programming or have just never worked with Node.js before and need some Javascript 101, here are the books you can start with to get a better understanding of the basic Node.js concepts and frameworks. 

“Beginning Node.JS” by Basarat Ali Syed

“Beginning Node.JS” by Basarat Ali Syed cover

Since the moment it was first published, the book by Basarat Ali Syed has not been leaving the “top Node.js books” ratings. It’s one of the most comprehensive guides for Node.js beginners that contains everything you need to know about the framework and Javascript in general. 

In this book, you’ll learn how to: 

  • understand the basics of Node.js 
  • build full-stack applications
  • create and use modules for reusable code
  • test and deploy your apps

About the author: Basarat Ali Syed is a Microsoft MVP, a Javascript/Typescript expert with over 10 years of experience in web development and software architecture.

Buy here. 

“Practical Node.js: Building Real-World Scalable Web Apps” by Azat Mardan

“Practical Node.js: Building Real-World Scalable Web Apps” by Azat Mardan cover

While this book is suitable for beginners, it won’t be boring for developers with a bit more knowledge about Node.js as well, as it covers both the basics and the more advanced topics. Make sure to get the second edition: it covers the latest version of Node, as well as Pug, Docker, and the latest versions of Express, Mongoose, Mocha, and Hapi.

In this book, you’ll learn how to: 

  • build full-stack web applications with Node.js and its popular frameworks
  • handle authorization and authentication
  • use Node.js with databases, RESTful services, and WebSockets
  • create and use NPM packages

About the author: Azat Mardan is a technology leader, an M.Sc. in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and the author of 18 books. 

Buy here.

“Beginning Node.js, Express & MongoDB Development” by Greg Lim

"Beginning Node.js, Express & MongoDB Development" by Greg Lim cover

This is one of the simplest Node.js books in terms of clarity. The writing style is fun and easy to follow, all the information is divided into small parts, so it’s easier to digest, and all the basics of Node.js, Express and MongoDB development are covered in full.

In this book, you’ll learn how to: 

  • Set up a Node.js development environment and create a basic Node.js application
  • Use Express to build robust web applications
  • Connect to and work with MongoDB databases
  • Build RESTful APIs with MongoDB and Node.js 

About the author: Greg Lim is an experienced software engineer and the founder of NodeBB, a popular open-source forum software built on Node.js and MongoDB.

Buy here.

“Web Development with Node and Express: Leveraging the JavaScript Stack” by Ethan Brown

“Web Development with Node and Express: Leveraging the JavaScript Stack” by Ethan Brown cover

Ethan Brown’s book might be a bit complicated for those who know nothing about Node.js development. Readers with at least a basic understanding, though, will like this practical guide on building single- and multi-page as well as hybrid apps with Express.  It’s one of the best Express.js books that we highly recommend having in your home library.

In this book, you’ll learn how to: 

  • understand the basics of Node.js framework 
  • build a RESTful API with Express
  • integrate with a database, including MongoDB and MySQL
  • develop real-time web applications with Socket.IO
  • use AngularJS to create dynamic user interfaces

About the author: Ethan Brown is a developer with 20+ years of experience, a Vice President of Technology at Value Management Strategies, and the author of several programming books.

Buy here.

Node.js Books For Experienced Developers

This part is for Node.js enthusiasts who know how to build basic apps and now want to deepen their knowledge and lay their hands on a bit more advanced stuff. 

“Express.js in Action. Writing, Building, and Testing Node.js Applications” by Evan Hahn

“Express.js in Action. Writing, Building, and Testing Node.js Applications” by Evan Hahn cover

Evan Han’s book will suit those who have at least basic knowledge of building server-side applications with Node.js. It’s a practical guide to building web applications with Express, one of the most popular Node.js frameworks. The author is good at explaining complex concepts with easy words, and code samples provided in the book make it even easier to understand. 

In this book, you’ll learn how to: 

  • simplify Node app setup with Express
  • use middleware to handle requests and responses
  • connect to databases and work with data using models and queries.
  • test your application and ensure its quality.
  • deploy and scale your application in different environments.

About the author: Evan Hahn is an experienced computer programmer working for Signal. He’s a JS expert and regular contributor to Node and Express open-source communities.

Buy here.

“Node.JS Web Development: Server-side development with Node 10 made easy” by David Herron

“Node.JS Web Development: Server-side development with Node 10 made easy” by David Herron cover

While this book covers the basics of Node.js development as well, it will be easier to read for those with some experience in frontend Javascript development who now want to hone their skills in server-side development. With clear and concise explanations, David Herron takes readers through the entire process of building a Node.js application.

In this book, you’ll learn how to: 

  • use Node.js to build web applications and command-line tools
  • deploy microservices with Doker
  • build real-time applications with Socket.IO
  • perform unit testing with Mocha and functional testing with CasperJS

About the author: David Herron is a web developer, author, and teacher with over 30 years of experience in the tech industry. 

Buy here.

“Node.js Design Patterns” by Mario Casciaro and Luciano Mammino 

"Node.js Design Patterns: Design and implement production-grade Node.js applications using proven patterns and techniques" cover

This book is a hit and a must-read for any experienced Node.js developer. It provides solutions to common design problems and teaches how to design and build enterprise-level Node.js apps. Check it out if you want to learn how to work on live projects and improve the efficiency of your code. 

In this book, you’ll learn how to: 

  • implement the most common design patterns in Node.js
  • use design patterns to solve common programming problems in Node.js
  • build maintainable and scalable Node applications
  • handle the asynchronous code

About the authors: Author Mario Casciaro is an experienced technical lead and consultant who has worked with some of the world’s leading companies. Luciano Mammino is a Microsoft MVP and a Senior Architect at fourTheorem.

Buy here.

“Learning Node: Moving to the Server-Side” by Shelley Powers

“Learning Node: Moving to the Server-Side” by Shelley Powers cover

Shelley Powers’ book is a comprehensive guide to server-side development with Node.js. Be careful: this book is designed for readers with some practical experience in Javascript development. Give it a try if you want to learn how to build scalable network applications with Node.js without getting bored: the book is full of code samples and deployment examples. 

In this book, you’ll learn how to: 

  • use Node.js functionality to the fullest
  • work with real-time web technologies, such as WebSockets
  • built web apps and HTTP servers with Node.js modules
  • test your apps with Node.js REPL console,

About the author: Shelley Powers is a writer, web developer, and software architect with professional experience in Yahoo! and Sun Microsystems. She has written over twenty books and many articles on web design and development. 

Buy here.

Node.js Books For Advanced Specialists 

The final part of our guide to the best Node.js books is devoted to advanced books aimed at professional developers with extensive experience in Javascript. To stay relevant to the industry, it’s important to never stop learning — and these books will come in handy. 

“Node.js the Right Way: Practical, Server-Side JavaScript That Scales” by Jim Wilson

“Node.js the Right Way: Practical, Server-Side JavaScript That Scales” by Jim Wilson cover

Jim Wilson’s book offers practical advice and techniques for developing Node.js applications. If you are an advanced Node.js developer looking for an efficient way to scale your applications and make them more efficient, “Node.js the Right Way” is the right way to learn. 

In this book, you’ll learn how to: 

  • build scalable and efficient Node.js applications
  • use the latest Node.js tools and techniques
  • deploy and scale Node.js applications in production
  • secure Node.js applications against common vulnerabilities

About the author: Jim Wilson is a software developer at Google with over 25 years of experience in the industry. He’s a frequent speaker at technology conferences and a contributor to ​​TensorFlow’s visualization suite, TensorBoard, and other open-source projects.

Buy here.

NodeJS for Embedded Systems by Patrick Mulder & Kelsey Breseman

NodeJS for Embedded Systems by Patrick Mulder & Kelsey Breseman cover

Patrick Mulder and Kelsey Breseman have created a comprehensive guide for developers who want to use Node.js for embedded system programming. This book covers how to use Node.js on various hardware platforms and explores the benefits of using Node.js for IoT development.

In this book, you’ll learn how to: 

  • integrate Node.js with various hardware platforms and architectures
  • use Javascript to program microcontrollers and sensors,
  • use Tessel 2 platform for prototyping various IoT devices
  • deploying and scale Node.js applications on embedded systems

About the authors: Patrick Mulder is an HW/SW engineer with extensive experience in embedded systems. Kelsey Breseman is a software engineer and a member of the Steering Committee of the Tessel Project. 

Buy here.

“Advanced Node.js Development: Master Node.js by building real-world applications” by Andrew Mead

"Advanced Node.js Development: Master Node.js by building real-world applications" by Andrew Mead cover

In this book, you’ll learn how to: 

  • master the use of asynchronous programming in Node.js
  • build a robust authentication system using Passport.js
  • create and deploy secure RESTful APIs with Express.js
  • integrate with various database systems like MongoDB, MySQL, and PostgreSQL
  • debug and troubleshoot Node.js applications using tools like Node Inspector and Chrome DevTools
  • use GraphQL for efficient data retrieval and manipulation

About the author: Andrew Mead is a full-stack developer and instructor with extensive experience teaching Node.js and other web development technologies. He has created several online courses on Udemy and is the author of several popular programming books.

Buy here.

“Getting MEAN with Mongo, Express, Angular, and Node” by Simon Holmes

“Getting MEAN with Mongo, Express, Angular, and Node” by Simon Holmes cover

The book by Simon Holmes is a comprehensive guide to building full-stack web applications with the MEAN stack, which consists of MongoDB, Express.js, Angular, and Node.js. It is aimed at readers who are familiar with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and who want to expand their knowledge and get insights into a wider ecosystem. 

In this book, you’ll learn how to: 

  • build web applications from scratch with the MEAN stack
  • work with MongoDB to store and manage data
  • use Express.js to build a robust and scalable web server
  • develop responsive and interactive client-side web applications with Angular
  • use Node.js to write server-side JavaScript code and integrate it with the rest of the stack
  • write auto-tests to ensure the highest code quality 

About the author: Simon Holmes is a web developer and author with over 20 years of experience building web applications. 

Buy here.

Final Words

Node.js has become increasingly popular among developers due to its versatility, scalability, and efficiency. It’s widely used in startups and huge enterprises. So it’s no wonder there are so many books on the topic. 

With the books from this article, you can get detailed and practical guidance on how to build applications with Node.js and its associated libraries and frameworks. Whether you are an experienced developer or just starting, these books can help you improve your skills and take your development abilities to the next level. And if it’s not enough, you can always opt for Node.js consulting services from Fireart minimum viable product development services

























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