A Brief Overview of Node.js and Express.js

If you’ve worked with JavaScript frameworks and libraries, chances are that you’ve heard of Node.js and Express.js. So for those who are unfamiliar to these terms – what exactly are they?

Node.js

Node.js is an open-source JavaScript runtime environment, that uses Google’s V8 JavaScript engine, where you can build server applications. Node.js is not a framework, although it has many modules that are written in JavaScript. It has event-driven architecture that is capable of asynchronous I/O, otherwise none as a form of input/output processing that allows other processing to continue before the transfer of data has finished.

Express.js

Express.js is a web application framework for Node.js, that’s used for building APIs. It is also known for being a backend component of the MEAN stack.

I’ve worked with Node.js and Express.js to create APIs, so I feel like I can never think about one of them without having the other one come to mind.

Overview of Design Patterns

Design patterns are guidelines for solving common problems in software development. By learning design patterns, you can quickly and easily communicate designs to other software developers.

A few common design patterns include the following:

Strategy Pattern

The Strategy Pattern defines a family of algorithms, encapsulates each one, and makes them interchangeable. Instead of inheriting behavior, it is created.

Observer Pattern

The Observer Pattern is the most commonly used design pattern in the real world. It defines a one-to-many dependency between objects so that when one object changes its state, all of its dependents are notified and updated automatically.

Decorator Pattern

The Decorator Pattern attaches additional responsibilities to an object dynamically. Decorators provide a flexible alternative to subclassing for extending functionality.

Singleton Pattern

The Singleton Pattern ensures that a class has only one instance, and provides a global access point to it.

State Pattern

The State Pattern uses a set of state constants, and uses a variable to hold the current state. The pattern encapsulates state into separate classes.

Collection Pattern

The Collection Pattern provides a way to access the elements of an aggregate object without exposing its underlying representation.