The Node Beginner Book

by Manuel Kiessling

The aim of The Node Beginner Book is to get you started with developing applications for Node.js, teaching you everything you need to know about advanced JavaScript along the way on 59 pages.

Genres: Programming, Technology, Computer Science, Technical, Nonfiction, Software, Engineering

63 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're wanting to learn Node.js and know absolutely nothing about it, I think this is a great place to start. Actually, I think Learn Node.js Completely and with Confidence is an even better place to start ("Step 3" is to read this book!).

The title is no joke: this is absolutely for beginners. In fact, while it's assumed that you know some JavaScript, I would argue that anyone who's actually been using JavaScript for a while in any sort of modern front-end capacity will find the concepts of first-class functions (functions you can pass around like any other data) and asynchronous (or "non-blocking") development to be kind of old-hat. So I think someone who's really quite a JavaScript beginner will be fine with this too.

I love the building-block approach Kiessling used in the creation of a single, simple website application. It starts with the simplest possible HTTP server (return a 200 status and some text/plain content - if I had a dollar for every time I've built that server...) and in a series of logical additions, we learn about asynchronous event-handler-driven development, URL routing, and handling POST data and file uploads! It's fast-paced and incredibly fun to watch it come together.

The progression throughout the book follows the natural thought processes of a JavaScript beginner. So much so, in fact, that I half suspect Kiessling may have simply transcribed and annotated his own first attempt to create a Node.js application. (As you follow along, you try things, delete them and try something else, etc.) He straddles the line nicely between a simplistic and naive "tutorial" style and a more mature and correct (and complex) style with proper separation of concerns.

I was able to follow along to the letter with current versions of Node.js and Formidable (as of this writing) until I came to the final example. Formidable seems to have changed slightly since the book was written (it seems that the files.upload property is no longer used.). I know how frustrating such a problem can be for a complete beginner, so here's my Stackoverflow answer addressing the problem. Hopefully that helps somebody.

[Sinziana Gafitanu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is very much a book for beginners, and if you have used javascript before, this might be a little bit boring, but it does a great job of explaining everything and building an application incrementally.

[Wojciech Pietrzak · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author should write poetry instead of technical books. Too much text compared to the amount of information about node. The author promised a full application at the end of the book, but instead of giving at least one example of some kind of test for his code, he explains what a router or request handler is for. Good to know other books about node, because from them I know mocha, should, and assertions. No one example in this book. That reminds me to all this shitty "write your blog in 5 minutes" rails tutorials around the web.

[Randell Benavidez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a good introduction to Node.js, which also discusses bits about server-side JavaScript, functional programming, dealing with blocking and non-blocking operations, and a little about dependency injection. It also walks the reader through creating a very basic web application that allows the user to upload a PNG image.

[Jake Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice overview of Node.js.

For someone with some experience with JS, and with other backend languages, this book was perhaps slightly oversimplified, but it has still given me a basic understanding of the concepts needed. While it hasn't prepared me to make my own applications, it has brought my level up to a point where a fully sized Node.js book will no longer be a daunting prospect.

You can sit and read this book in a day, and I think it accomplishes exactly the goal it is trying to.

[James Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear, simple, useful introduction to Node.js development designed for people who already know a bit of JavaScript and who have some experience with web development in general. As Kiessling's development background (i.e. PHP) matches my own, the tutorial was perfect for me. I'm not on to his sequel, The Node Craftsman Book.

[Pranshu Grover · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars just because the author has succeeded in achieving his goal, I went from a novice in node to an expert novice in node. I always thought I had a lot of gaps in my knowledge but I didn't even know what I didn't know. Now I know them. A lot of courses online will fit in 10 different technologies at once while teaching node and full stack dev which often leaves gaps in knowledge, highly recommended starting point for anyone thinking of learning node.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a pretty decent and useful book, but I feel it is a little bit too short. Most importantly, it introduced http module, which is fine; but it did not mention express at all. I wasted some time on http module for not knowing the existence of express. I'd suggest the author mention that there is a high-level module named express before starting on any low level modules.

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice lightweight intro to nodejs. It explicitly didn't address the sole reason I read it, but thats OK and has nothing to do with my rating. Having moved in to the follow-up book, I'm left wondering if this book would have been better suited as a whirlwind introductory chapter.

[Mohammed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won't forget this book. The book with which I started Javascript what I needed to become an official employee of one of the best software companies in my country. The author was so verbose, yet so friendly who explains everything so good

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. I can't believe I'm saying this about any programming book, but this one is actually too short. Nonetheless, it is as good as any first half a book you will find on this topic.

[Dustin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a solid couple of hour crash course for generic Node.js concepts. The author did an alright job showing how blocking works, how to think about callbacks in general, and some of the features. The book reminds me some of Learn X the Hard Way without enough exercises.

I'd recommend this book if you have absolutely no experience with Node.js. If you have a general grasp on blocking, callbacks, npm, require, and exports then you might be able to skip this. While the book doesn't go into any great detail on any of those subjects, if you don't feel comfortable with any of them then this might be a good refresher at the least.

This isn't a book I'll reference often (if at all) but it is something I'd recommend to someone that's never touched node.js before. The author has done a good job of keeping the book and examples up to date (everything still works in v0.10.22).

[Bart Bakker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book provides a very basic introduction to build a web app with Node.js. As the author admits at the start of the book it's a brief introduction.

For me personally, this book didn't tell me anything that I didn't know about Node.js. Except that I can now advice this book to other people who hardly know anything about Node.js.

So, if you barely know (or maybe not even) what Node.js is and want to learn the basics, this book is for you. It covers the most important concepts as Node's event architecture, explains a bit about first-class functions, and guides you very gentile to build a simple web application.

The style of writing is pretty nice. I read it cover to cover in about an hour.

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Node Beginner Book (2015) by Manuel Kiessling is a book and tutorial that describes how Node.js works, how to write asynchronous javascript and how to create a very simple application. It's 50 pages that provides a short, quick digestible tutorial in writing node.

The book is aimed at people who can program and want a quick introduction to node. After a hello world in Node routing, callbacks and how node work are described. Finally an application that allows text input and file upload is developed.

It worked well for me. It's also part of a package with a second book that concludes with a description of writing an application with AngularJS and node together. The two can be bought together for a good, quick introduction.

[Benjamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an okay introduction. Fairly easy to get through. I think I had an older version and wish mine was more up to date. I like the way the author writes, and his examples are pretty clear to follow. Good for an absolute beginner like me to get interested in Node, but doesn't go into a whole lot of detail. I went to get his Node Craftsman book at the stated discount of $5 (which admittedly had expired long ago) and the book is selling on the site for $23 with no place for a discount code. HOWEVER, I were to buy this book again along with the Craftsman book it would only cost the $9 I originally spent on this book. I don't get it. I will, though, get the Craftsman book when I have a little more time and another $4 in my pocket.

[Mike Silversides · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was a pretty good introduction to Node. But only useful if you've never done anything in Node before since there's not a lot of material here. I think it's best suited to someone just starting out. But if you've got some experience, then you can probably start with something more advanced.

I had already found a useful website on Node called howtonode.org and used the article "Blog rolling with mongoDB, express and Node.js".
http://howtonode.org/express-mongodb
Actually, if you've done the Node Beginner Book, then adding mongoDB and Express would be a nice next step in learning more about Node.

If you've done anything else using Node, then you don't need this book.

[Pedro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good introduction to Node.js. The book is one large tutorial, that will run you through the essential concepts of node. It is quite fast to do the tutorial, and it proposes a very nice, and quite correct way to structure your code in node.
Personally, I would recommend that you do this tutorial and use it for a personal project shortly after. The code is very good, and it will get you a good starting point for a project (especially if you do not intend to use Express, for example)
Hands-on Node.js: The Node.js is a good complement to this.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction to Node.js. I was able to pick this up free through a promotion. At less than 50 pages, I can't say it's worth more than a few dollars. That said, it's definitely one of the better introductions to Node that I've read. It probably helps that I am very close to the author's target audience ("This document will probably fit best for readers that have a background similar to my own: experienced with at least one object-oriented language like Ruby, Python, PHP or Java, only little experience with JavaScript, and completely new to Node.js.")

[Ajitabh Pandey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good meant for beginners. You end up developing a simple PNG file uploader. A very basic application, but in the process I learn about writing the webserver, node modules and some basic technologies.

If you know programming in language and understand basics of HTTP communication, you are good to go with this book to start with and then delve deeper using other books and / or online documents and community.

[Fayçal · Rating 4 out of 5]

To the point and just the right book for a node beginner like myself!

The next step for me was TutsPulus.com's great course about node.js: "An Introduction to Node.js" in which you will learn how to create your own node modules and publish them to npm, as well as using mongodb and socket.io to build real-time web apps. Check it out, it's a great next step ;) !

[Douglas Hackney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction to node.js. Short, concise and to the point. The example code is useful and teaches important concepts.

Some knowledge of javascript will be helpful before tackling this book, but it assumes no knowledge of node at all.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent for what it is: a beginner's introduction to Node, JavaScript, and event-based programming generally. Won't be of much help to the developer experienced in these already, but a good ground floor for a newbie to start on.

[Dan Ofer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introduction to somebody who knows nothing about node.js.

Assumes you have little knowledge of node.js and a competent knowledge of programming.

The author should fix a few typos and revise the wording in some paragraphs to make them easier to read.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice, if short, introduction to node.js and server side reviews. I read it in an hour on the train on the way to work this morning, and it covers some simple concepts like blocking vs non-blocking and dependency injection well.

[Daniel Olshansky · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you know anything about node, this book would be a waste of your time. However, if you've never worked with it before and are trying to figure out how to structure your code, then I would highly recommend it.

[Ben Ng · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book teaches you poor practices like dependency injection, and isn't very node-y at all. Would not recommend to beginners. The author was not experienced enough at the time this book was written to be teaching others how to take their first steps.

[Ulrik Høyer Kold · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great intro to node.js - especially if you already know about Javascript or just any other relatively new programming language.

[Konstantin Root · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot on unnecessary information - could be easily compressed 3x without loosing value.

[Joël Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet.

[Niklas Nihlén · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good introduction to just get you off the ground. Exactly what the title states and what I needed!