In the ever-evolving world of web development, backend technologies have seen a major shift towards lightweight, fast, and scalable solutions. Node.js has become a top choice for developers looking to build high-performance web applications with JavaScript on the server side. If you're new to backend development or curious about what is Node.js, this comprehensive Node.js Tutorial by Tpoint Tech will help you master the basics and get you started with modern backend development in 2025.
What is Node.js?
Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform runtime environment built on Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine. It allows developers to execute JavaScript code outside the browser, making it ideal for building server-side applications.
Key Features:
- Asynchronous & Event-Driven: Perfect for handling multiple requests efficiently.
- Non-blocking I/O: Increases speed and performance.
- Single Programming Language: JavaScript for both frontend and backend.
- Huge Ecosystem: Over 1 million packages on npm.
Why Learn Node.js in 2025?
Node.js remains one of the most in-demand technologies in web development. Whether you're building REST APIs, microservices, or real-time apps, Node.js is lightweight, scalable, and supported by a vibrant community.
If you’re asking yourself what is Node.js, or looking for a practical Node.js Tutorial, this guide will walk you through everything—from setup to creating your first API.
Setting Up Node.js
To follow this tutorial, install Node.js from the official site. It comes bundled with npm
(Node Package Manager).
Verify Installation
node -v
npm -v
Step 1: Create Your First Node.js App
Let’s start with a basic server.
Create a file app.js
:
// app.js
const http = require('http');
const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/plain'});
res.end('Hello from Tpoint Tech Node.js Tutorial!');
});
server.listen(3000, () => {
console.log('Server running at http://localhost:3000/');
});
Run the server:
node app.js
Open your browser and visit http://localhost:3000/
— you’ll see your first Node.js response.
Step 2: Use npm and Express.js
Express.js is a popular framework built on Node.js that simplifies routing and middleware handling.
Install Express:
npm init -y
npm install express
Create server.js
:
// server.js
const express = require('express');
const app = express();
app.get('/', (req, res) => {
res.send('Welcome to the Node.js Tutorial by Tpoint Tech!');
});
app.listen(3000, () => {
console.log('Server is running on port 3000');
});
Now you have a simple web server running with Express!
Step 3: Build a REST API
Let’s create a basic CRUD API for managing tasks.
Sample code for task routes:
const express = require('express');
const app = express();
app.use(express.json());
let tasks = [];
app.get('/tasks', (req, res) => {
res.json(tasks);
});
app.post('/tasks', (req, res) => {
const task = { id: tasks.length + 1, name: req.body.name };
tasks.push(task);
res.status(201).json(task);
});
app.delete('/tasks/:id', (req, res) => {
tasks = tasks.filter(t => t.id !== parseInt(req.params.id));
res.status(204).send();
});
app.listen(3000, () => console.log('API running on http://localhost:3000'));
With just a few lines of code, you’ve built a simple RESTful API—a real-world use case for those learning backend development through this Node.js Tutorial.
Step 4: Middleware & Error Handling
Middleware functions are functions that have access to the request and response objects. Here’s how to use one:
app.use((req, res, next) => {
console.log(`${req.method} request to ${req.url}`);
next();
});
Error handling example:
app.use((err, req, res, next) => {
console.error(err.stack);
res.status(500).send('Something broke!');
});
This modularity is what makes Express and Node.js perfect for clean, scalable architectures.
Step 5: Using External Packages
With over a million packages, npm is one of the strongest reasons to use Node.js.
Example: Using dotenv
to manage environment variables
npm install dotenv
In .env
file:
PORT=4000
In server.js
:
require('dotenv').config();
const port = process.env.PORT || 3000;
app.listen(port, () => {
console.log(`Server running on port ${port}`);
});
This approach keeps your application secure and configurable across environments.
Final Thoughts
If you've made it this far—congratulations! You now understand what is Node.js and have followed a hands-on Node.js Tutorial that covered everything from basic servers to REST APIs and middleware.
In 2025, backend development is all about speed, simplicity, and scale—and Node.js delivers on all three fronts. Whether you're building your next startup idea or preparing for a full-stack developer role, Node.js is a skill you can rely on.
Learn More with Tpoint Tech
Want to dive deeper? Visit Tpoint Tech for:
- Full-stack JavaScript tutorials
- Real-world projects using Node.js + MongoDB
- Advanced topics like authentication, security, and testing
👉 Tpoint Tech – Your one-stop resource to Learn Modern Web Development in 2025
Top comments (0)