Instructor: Senior Software Engineer, Tech Company
Batch: MERN Stack Development - Batch 05
Duration: 13-15 classes (Live Classes)
Dates: April 18, 2026 onwards
This is a production-grade backend development curriculum designed for engineers building their backend skills. Each class is self-contained, meticulously structured, and grounded in real-world industry practices. You'll build a full-featured Node.js/Express backend from architecture principles to deployment using plain JavaScript and modern ES6+ patterns.
- Proficiency in JavaScript (functions, objects, async/await, ES6+)
- Recently completed React JS course
- Basic HTTP and REST API concepts
- Terminal/CLI comfort
- Start with your assigned class: Navigate to
class-1/,class-2/, etc. - Read the README first: Each class has a dedicated
README.mdwith learning objectives, agenda, and asset links. - Follow the flow: Notes → Demos (run them!) → Exercises → Quiz → Homework.
- Set up your environment: Node 20 LTS recommended. See
.nvmrcand setup instructions in demo READMEs.
| Class | Live # | Topic | Directory | Key Skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 59 | Node-Express Introduction | class-0/ |
Internet, HTTP, Web |
| 1 | 59 | Node-Express Back End Architecture | class-1/ |
Layering, DTOs, status codes, auth flow |
| 2 | 60 | Express Project From Scratch + Docker | class-2/ |
npm init, env handling, Docker, compose |
| 3 | 61 | Master Request, Response & Middleware | class-3/ |
req/res anatomy, middleware order, validation, error handling |
| 4 | 62 | Master MongoDB Query Writing | class-4/ |
CRUD, filters, projections, aggregation intro |
| 5 | 63 | Master MongoDB Aggregation | class-5/ |
Aggregation pipeline, stages, $group, $lookup |
| 6 | 64 | Master Mongoose With Express | class-6/ |
Schema design, relationships, hooks, statics |
| 7 | 65 | JWT Authentication & Security | class-7/ |
JWT tokens, refresh flow, password hashing, email verification |
| 8 | 66 | Task Manager Backend Project | class-8/ |
Full CRUD project, users, tasks, filtering |
| 9 | 67 | Inventory Backend Project | class-9/ |
Stock management, transactions, reports |
| 10 | 68 | Ecommerce Backend + Payment Gateway | class-10/ |
Cart, orders, Stripe/Razorpay integration |
| 11 | 69 | Redis, Jobs & Queue Management | class-11/ |
Caching, Bull queues, email jobs, rate limiting |
| 12 | 70 | Server Prep & Deployment (Coolify) | class-12/ |
CI/CD, environment hardening, Coolify, monitoring |
| 13 | 71 | AI-Driven API Development | class-13/ |
OpenAI, Gemini, Hugging Face, LLM inference patterns |
Learn the foundational patterns that separate junior backends from production code. Understand request flow, layering (routes → controllers → services), DTOs, middleware pipelines, and HTTP semantics.
Scaffold a production-ready Express+JavaScript project from zero. Set up scripts, environment handling, structured logging, Docker containerization, and docker-compose orchestration.
Deep dive into Express internals. Master req/res anatomy, middleware execution order, async error handling, built-in parsers, CORS, security headers, rate limiting, and request validation with Zod.
Master MongoDB queries using the native driver. CRUD operations, query operators, projections, pagination, sorting, and indexing fundamentals.
Pipeline-based data processing. Master stages: $match, $group, $project, $sort, $lookup. Build analytics and reporting queries.
Object-Document Mapper integration. Schema design, validation, relationships, virtuals, hooks, and methods. Build relational models on MongoDB.
Complete authentication flow. Password hashing with bcrypt, JWT access/refresh tokens, email verification with nodemailer, and security hardening (Helmet, rate limiting).
Full multi-user project. Users, lists, tasks, permissions, filtering, pagination. Combines all prior classes into a production-ready app.
Stock management system. Products, suppliers, stock movements, transactions with Mongoose sessions, low-stock alerts via aggregation.
Payment-enabled ecommerce. Shopping carts, orders, Stripe PaymentIntent integration, webhooks, idempotency, order state machines.
Caching strategies (cache-aside, TTL) and background jobs with BullMQ. Email queues, scheduled jobs, retries, dead-letter queues.
Production deployment. VPS hardening, non-root users, SSH keys, firewalls. Coolify CI/CD, zero-downtime rollouts, monitoring, domain + SSL.
LLM integration. OpenAI, Gemini, Hugging Face APIs. Chat completions, streaming, embeddings, prompt engineering, token management, rate limits.
nodejs-classes/
├── README.md ← You are here
├── .nvmrc ← Node 20 LTS
├── .editorconfig ← Editor consistency
├── .gitignore ← Git rules
├── _template/ ← Canonical class structure (for reference)
├── class-1/
│ ├── README.md ← Class objectives & overview
│ ├── slides/
│ │ └── outline.md ← Speaker notes & timing
│ ├── notes/
│ │ ├── 01-concepts.md ← Theory + diagrams
│ │ ├── 02-industry-context.md ← Real-world patterns
│ │ └── 03-glossary-banglish.md ← Terms & translations
│ ├── code/
│ │ └── demo-hello-architecture/ ← Runnable JS demo
│ ├── exercises/
│ │ ├── README.md ← Problem statements
│ │ ├── starter/ ← Skeleton code
│ │ └── solutions/ ← Reference solutions
│ ├── quiz/
│ │ └── quiz.md ← 10 MCQs + answers
│ └── homework/
│ └── README.md ← Take-home assignment
├── class-2/
│ └── [same structure as class-1]
└── class-3/
└── [same structure as class-1]
- Node.js 20 LTS (check
.nvmrc) - npm (or pnpm/yarn) for package management
- Docker & docker-compose (from class-2 onwards)
- Git (for version control)
- VS Code recommended
-
Clone/open this repo:
cd nodejs-classes -
Install Node 20 (if using nvm):
nvm use
-
Navigate to any class and run its demo:
cd class-1/code/demo-hello-architecture npm install npm run dev -
Editor settings:
.editorconfigensures consistent spacing, line endings, and formatting across all demos.
- README: Start here. Read objectives, prerequisites, and agenda.
- Slides: Get the speaker outline and timing. Useful if reviewing later.
- Notes: Three markdown files covering concepts, industry context, and terminology.
- Code Demos: Runnable JavaScript. Build & run to see theory in action. Study the code structure.
- Exercises: 3-5 problems. Starter code provided; solutions available for reference.
- Quiz: 10 MCQs to self-assess understanding.
- Homework: One project-oriented task bridging to the next class.
- Every demo builds and runs:
npm install && npm run devshould work out of the box. - JavaScript ESM modules: Clean modern code with ES6+ syntax and patterns.
- Diagrams: Mermaid flowcharts for non-trivial flows (request lifecycle, auth, etc.).
- Practical insights: "Common Mistakes" and "Interview Questions" in each README.
- Banglish callouts: Key terms translated to Bengali/Banglish where genuinely confusing.
- Internet and Web
- Layered architecture (Routes, Controllers, Services, Repositories)
- Middleware pipeline and execution order
- HTTP request/response cycle
- DTOs and type safety
- Full request parsing and validation
- Custom middleware and error handling
- Async patterns in Express
- Security (CORS, Helmet, rate limiting)
- User authentication with JWT
- Secure password storage
- Refresh token patterns
- Complete production backend with all layers
- Deployment, monitoring, and scaling
- AI-driven API design
- Express.js Docs: expressjs.com
- Node.js Docs: nodejs.org
- JavaScript Guide: developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript
- Docker Docs: docs.docker.com
- Postman API Client: postman.com
Q: Do I need to follow classes in order?
A: Classes 1-3 are foundational. From class 4, each class builds on class 3, but you can revisit earlier classes for reference.
Q: What if a demo doesn't run?
A: Check Node version (node -v should be 20.x), and ensure all deps installed (npm install). Each demo's README has troubleshooting.
Q: Can I modify the demo code?
A: Absolutely! Treat demos as learning material. Experiment, break things, and rebuild.
Q: Where are the solutions?
A: In class-N/exercises/solutions/. Attempt exercises first, then check solutions.
- Consistent code style: We use ESM modules and modern JavaScript patterns. This ensures clean, readable code.
- Architecture matters: Good layering saves 10x effort during refactoring.
- Test as you go: Each demo includes basic error checks. Add more as you learn.
- Ask questions: These concepts are deep. Use office hours or discussion forums liberally.
- Course Updates: Check the README and class-specific READMEs for announcements.
- Issues in Demos: Raise an issue or ask in class.
- Homework Submission: Instructions in each class's homework README.
Let's build something great. Welcome to Node.js backend development!