How Long Does it Take to Learn Node.js?

Like many aspiring Software Engineers, you might want to learn Node.js but worry that it will take too much time. Node.js is somewhat unique among vital programming skills because it is a framework rather than a programming language. This means it doesn’t function independently without extensive JavaScript knowledge. As a result, it will take substantially more time to learn the foundational skills required to start working with Node.js than to learn how to use Node.js itself. The framework can be picked up in only a few days by skilled JavaScript programmers. However, these skilled programmers must have undertaken a lengthy study period—possibly months of dedicated training—to learn JavaScript. Of course, this depends on several factors. Keep reading to learn how you can learn Node.js and explore resources to help speed up the process.

What is Node.js?

Node.js is a commonly used JavaScript library that is an open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment. It is by far the most commonly used runtime environment in the professional sector, with Node.js being used by over 98% of Fortune 500 companies. It allows users to create server-side architecture using JavaScript to build applications and webpages that constantly communicate information with server infrastructure without needing specific input from either the user or the server. This makes Node.js a vital programming tool for any application that needs to remain constantly connected to a server. For instance, it is part of the server architecture that allows users to stream video content without downloading an entire video file. It is also what enables online chat tools to function.

Node.js is also an integral tool in the continued development and refinement of the Internet of Things. More and more of our daily lives involve interacting with devices connected to the internet—from watches and phones to cars and refrigerators. The various applications these objects run to serve their niche functions tend to rely on Node.js to build server environments and manage asynchronous data processing events that allow multiple physical objects to communicate meaningfully with one another over an internet connection. If you are using your voice to ask the virtual assistant on your desk to adjust your thermostat, Node.js infrastructure was likely vital in that exchange.

Read more about what Node.js is and why you should learn it.

What Can You Do with Node.js?

Node.js is an incredibly versatile runtime environment that lets users construct virtually any program that uses the functionality of a webpage without needing to open a web browser. This is vital for many web applications, including almost all direct messaging programs and chatbot software. If you are designing an application and want to include a live chat feature, you will likely need to use Node.js. Node.js is also used for single-page web applications like Google Docs and Gmail. Even something as simple as push notifications or scrolling news and weather updates in your application will require Node.js.

Node.js is also a vital part of making the Internet of Things possible. It is one of the key frameworks and runtime environments that allow sensors to detect changes and stimuli and relay that information to a device connected to the internet. This means that if you use the voice command on a digital assistant to tell your Bluetooth speaker system to lower its volume, you are using a program made possible thanks to Node.js. As this technology becomes more advanced and enters sectors like automotive and medical fields, skilled Node.js programmers will be able to construct complex, interconnected, potentially life-saving new technologies.

Average Time It Takes to Learn Node.js

Students can learn Node.js in about a week of immersive study, assuming they already have significant JavaScript experience. Students with coding experience but limited JavaScript training will need several weeks to learn JavaScript, followed by a few days of Node.js training. Students with no coding experience will require several months of training before they are ready to learn Node.js.

Other Factors

The most significant factors in learning Node.js, aside from personal learning style, are how much prior coding experience you have and what skills you need to develop to reach the point where you can begin learning Node.js.

Do You Know JavaScript?

Since Node.js is a framework for JavaScript, you will need to know JavaScript before you can learn Node.js. This means that the most time-consuming part of learning Node.js is learning JavaScript. Students unfamiliar with that language should consider enrolling in courses that combine both JavaScript and Node.js instruction.

Do You Know HTML & CSS?

To learn JavaScript, you’ll need to know HTML and CSS, as well as the fundamental skills required for computer programming. For students who don’t have this knowledge, Node.js will take longer to learn because they’ll need to spend significant time acquiring the skills necessary to begin studying it.

Level of Difficulty, Prerequisites, & Cost

The difficulty of learning Node.js largely depends on your knowledge of JavaScript. It is a relatively easy library to use for anyone with significant JavaScript experience, but those without this background will require supplemental training, which can make the process more difficult and more expensive.

Learning Node.js comes with a few significant prerequisites. The most important is familiarity with JavaScript, since Node.js is a JavaScript library. This usually isn’t a major issue, as many JavaScript courses include Node.js in their curriculum. However, to learn JavaScript, you’ll also need to know HTML and CSS (as well as basic coding skills), and many JavaScript courses do not provide this foundational training. Make sure you meet the requirements of any course you plan to enroll in.

Node.js is an open-source JavaScript library that is free to download and use. While paid services and hosting platforms that use Node.js exist, the code and framework are freely available from the official Node.js website.

Read about how difficult it is to learn Node.js.

Watch a Free Node.js Online Course

Anyone interested in learning the basic features of Node.js without enrolling in an immersive JavaScript course can explore free online class options. These classes aren’t substitutes for professional skills training, but they are a great way to learn the basics of the library in preparation for more advanced instruction.

Noble Desktop offers a few options for free Node.js instruction. On their official YouTube page, you can watch an Intro to Node.js seminar that provides an overview of the library’s core functions and applications. You’ll learn how Node.js works and how developers can use it to build web applications that operate outside a browser's scope. Once you’ve watched this video, you can explore more free online tutorials on their Web Development Playlist or their Learn JavaScript resources page.

Interested users can also explore free training seminars through platforms such as Udemy or Codecademy. These classes vary in content and delivery format, but they still provide a solid introduction to the basic features of Node.js. Some users may also wish to explore resources available on the official Node.js website for free and open-source materials that support self-paced learning.

Read about more free Node.js videos and online tutorials.

Learn Node.js with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Since Node.js is a JavaScript library, it is rarely taught on its own. It is so ubiquitous in professional JavaScript development that it is often taught alongside JavaScript as an equally crucial professional skill. Therefore, those looking to learn how to use Node.js will likely do so within the context of a JavaScript class or bootcamp. In these classes, students will learn the basics of using JavaScript to code web applications. Then they will receive training in how to utilize Node.js to expand the scope and functionality of those web applications. Many of these classes—particularly those with a significant Node.js component—assume that students are familiar with basic coding skills, particularly HTML and CSS, so reviewing course prerequisites is recommended.

At Noble Desktop, students can learn Node.js in a wide array of course settings. However, no matter what program you enroll in, you’ll benefit from the chance to interface with expert instructors in small, intimate classes that rarely exceed twenty students. Even online, students are placed in private classrooms with live instructors who can answer their questions and provide real-time feedback. You can also retake any course within one year, giving students an extra chance to hone their Node.js skills.

Noble offers JavaScript and Node.js instruction in its web development certificate curriculum. These courses provide hands-on training in JavaScript and Node.js by assigning them projects to code that mirror the kinds of real-world projects they can expect to work on in their professional lives. You can opt to enroll in the JavaScript Development Certificate program or the Full Stack Development Certificate program. In these classes, you will receive professional instruction in web development skills, including JavaScript. Students in the JavaScript Development Certificate program will learn how to use the advanced features of JavaScript and Node.js to build complex web applications. Students enrolled in the Full Stack Development Certificate program will receive this training alongside introductory HTML and CSS training, React training, and back-end development instruction.

These courses are career-focused training seminars, meaning they are designed to take students from novices in the field and graduate them as trained professionals ready to enter the workforce as Web Developers. These courses deliver hands-on training in the kinds of Node.js projects students will be hired to work on and provide one-on-one professional mentorship as part of their professional development. Students will conclude the course by working on a final web development sample portfolio. Upon completion, they will be awarded a career development certificate that signals to employers they are prepared to start working as Node.js experts.

Key Takeaways

• Node.js is a JavaScript framework used to allow software applications to run JavaScript code outside a web browser. It is a relatively quick skill to learn on its own, but because it is an advanced skill, there are many prerequisites to learning Node.js that extend the time it takes to master.
• Students attempting to learn Node.js must first learn JavaScript, which will take a few months of dedicated study to become comfortable using.
• Students attempting to learn JavaScript will need to learn HTML and CSS in advance, which adds an additional few months of study to become proficient.
• Regardless of your experience level or which skills you need to learn, Noble Desktop offers comprehensive live online and in-person training seminars to support your professional growth.