What should I learn before building APIs in Node.js?
Strong JavaScript and HTTP. Variables, scope, closures, promises, async/await for JavaScript. Methods, status codes, headers, request-response cycle for HTTP. Without these, REST design will not make sense.
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More FAQs in Node.js API Development Roadmap: From Zero to Production
Master JavaScript, learn HTTP, learn Express, learn REST principles, add MongoDB with Mongoose, add validation, add error handling, add auth, add security middlewares, add pagination and filtering, add logging, test, document, deploy, and monitor. Take it one step at a time.
After schemas, routes, controllers, validation, and error handling. Auth depends on user schemas, password hashing, and tokens. It is a natural step after you can store and retrieve users.
Monitor in production. Watch slow queries, error rates, uptime, and event loop lag. Use PM2 monit, clinic.js, or an APM like New Relic. Without monitoring, you cannot know what to fix.
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