Book Image

Learning Node.js for .NET Developers

Book Image

Learning Node.js for .NET Developers

Overview of this book

Node.js is an open source, cross-platform runtime environment that allows you to use JavaScript to develop server-side web applications. This short guide will help you develop applications using JavaScript and Node.js, leverage your existing programming skills from .NET or Java, and make the most of these other platforms through understanding the Node.js programming model. You will learn how to build web applications and APIs in Node, discover packages in the Node.js ecosystem, test and deploy your Node.js code, and more. Finally, you will discover how to integrate Node.js and .NET code.

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Learning Node.js for .NET Developers
Jun, 2016 | 248 pages
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Table of Contents (16 chapters)
Preface
Preface
What this book covers
What you need for this book
Who this book is for
Conventions
Reader feedback
Customer support
Free Chapter
1
1. Why Node.js?
1. Why Node.js?
What is Node.js?
Why JavaScript?
When to use Node.js
Summary
2
2. Getting Started with Node.js
2. Getting Started with Node.js
Installing and running Node.js
Choosing an editor
Using an application framework
Summary
3
3. A JavaScript Primer
3. A JavaScript Primer
Introducing JavaScript types
Functional object-oriented programming
Summary
4
4. Introducing Node.js Modules
4. Introducing Node.js Modules
Organizing your codebase
Creating modules in Node.js
Defining a directory-level module
Implementing an Express middleware module
Summary
5
5. Creating Dynamic Websites
5. Creating Dynamic Websites
Handling user-submitted data
Communicating via Ajax
Implementing other data operations
Summary
6
6. Testing Node.js Applications
6. Testing Node.js Applications
Writing a simple test in Node.js
Structuring the codebase for tests
Writing BDD-style tests with Mocha
Using Chai for assertions
Creating test doubles
Testing an Express application
Full-stack testing with PhantomJS
Summary
7
7. Setting up an Automated Build
7. Setting up an Automated Build
Setting up an integration server
Automating the build process with Gulp
Checking code style with ESLint
Gathering code coverage statistics
Running integration tests from Gulp
Summary
8
8. Mastering Asynchronicity
8. Mastering Asynchronicity
Using the callback pattern for asynchronous code
Writing cleaner asynchronous code using promises
Combining asynchronous programming patterns
Summary
9
9. Persisting Data
9. Persisting Data
Introducing MongoDB
Using MongoDB with Express
Introducing Redis
Building a user ranking system with Redis
A note on security
Summary
10
10. Creating Real-time Web Apps
10. Creating Real-time Web Apps
Understanding options for real-time communication
Introducing Socket.IO
Scaling real-time Node.js applications
Integrating Socket.IO with Express
Directing Socket.IO messages
Testing Socket.IO applications
Organizing Socket.IO applications
Summary
11
11. Deploying Node.js Applications
11. Deploying Node.js Applications
Working with Heroku
Deploying from Travis CI
Further resources
Summary
12
12. Authentication in Node.js
12. Authentication in Node.js
Introducing Passport
Using Express sessions
Implementing social login
Allowing users to log out
Adding other login providers
Summary
13
13. Creating JavaScript Packages
13. Creating JavaScript Packages
Writing universal modules
Writing npm packages
Publishing a package to npm
Using Node.js modules in the browser
Summary
14
14. Node.js and Beyond
14. Node.js and Beyond
Understanding Node.js versioning
Understanding ECMAScript versioning
Exploring ECMAScript 2015
Introducing ECMAScript 2016
Going beyond JavaScript
JavaScript and ASP.NET
Summary
15
Index
Index

Chapter 1. Why Node.js?

Node.js is still relatively new compared to platforms such as .NET and Java, but has become very popular in a short time, and has even started influencing these platforms. This is thanks to its distinctive programming model, extensive ecosystem, and powerful tooling.

These factors make Node.js a compelling alternative to other platforms. They can also make it intimidating. Its distinctive programming model may seem quite alien compared to other platforms. The sheer range of available libraries and tools can be bewildering.

This book will guide you through Node.js so you can start using it in your applications. It will help you to understand Node.js, navigate its ecosystem, and leverage your existing development skills in this new environment.

In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:

  • Introducing the Node.js platform
  • Seeing how its execution model works
  • Exploring the Node.js ecosystem
  • Looking at JavaScript as a language choice
  • Considering the range of use cases for Node.js
Previous Section
End of Section 1
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