Node.js fundamentals

Node.js Runtime & Module Systems

Build confidence with the event loop, streams, and packaging so later API work sits on solid ground.

Cover art for Node.js Runtime & Module Systems

MYR 1,180 · 6 weeks · part-time evenings

Cohort with live labs live-online

Outline

We start where many tutorials skip: how Node schedules work, how CommonJS and ESM interact in real repos, and how to structure small services without tangling dependencies. You will ship weekly exercises that mirror production constraints, not toy snippets.

Inclusions

  • Event loop tracing with annotated timelines
  • Hands-on stream backpressure labs
  • Package boundaries and internal module maps
  • Debugging with async stack traces in real logs
  • Performance budgets for startup time
  • Security hygiene for dependency trees
  • Pair review with mentor comments in Git

Outcomes

  1. Explain scheduling decisions for a given trace
  2. Refactor a mixed CJS/ESM codebase safely
  3. Ship two graded CLI utilities with tests

Participant notes

“The stream lab finally made backpressure click — I quoted that exercise in my team retro.”
— Hafiz · Junior developer · survey
“Week two felt dense, but the annotated event-loop diagrams are now pinned in our wiki.”
— Anonymous · Client in logistics

Straight answers

Do I need Linux?
No, but we standardise on the same Node LTS across macOS, Linux, and WSL2 so mentors can reproduce issues.
Is Windows Subsystem for Linux acceptable?
Yes. WSL2 is supported; native Windows CMD without WSL is not recommended for parity with mentors.
What is not included?
We do not cover frontend frameworks or mobile clients; scope stays on Node services and tooling.