21-day Node.js Self-Learning Roadmap

🎯 GOAL :

By the end, you should be able to:

• Build a RESTful API with Node.js + Express
  
  

• Connect it to MongoDB
  
  

• Understand authentication, routing, middleware, and deployment basics
  
  

🗓️ 21-Day Node.js Roadmap for a Beginner

🔹 Week 1: Core Node.js (Days 1–7)

Focus: Understand JavaScript backend environment deeply

Day

Topic

What to Learn

Practice Ideas

1

Setup & Intro

Install Node.js, npm/yarn, run your first script. Learn about REPL, modules, require, and exports.

Print “Hello Node”, log system info using os module.

2

Modules & File System

fs, path, os modules. Understand synchronous vs asynchronous.

Create a file writer/reader using fs.

3

Events & Streams

EventEmitter, readable/writable streams.

Create custom event and file stream example.

4

Asynchronous JS

Callbacks, Promises, async/await.

Write a small script to fetch data from a public API using fetch.

5

HTTP Module

Create simple HTTP server without frameworks. Understand req, res.

Make a mini website that serves HTML from a file.

6

NPM & Packages

Using npm, package.json, install/uninstall packages.

Install a few packages like chalk, nodemon, axios.

7

Practice Project 1

Combine what you learned.

Create a command-line weather app using axios and fs.

🔹 Week 2: Express.js — The Heart of Node Backend (Days 8–14)

Focus: Learn Express framework to build real APIs

Day

Topic

What to Learn

Practice Ideas

8

Intro to Express.js

Routing, middleware, app.get(), app.post().

Build routes /, /about.

9

Express Router

Modular routes, parameters.

Create user routes (/users/:id).

10

Middleware & Error Handling

Learn built-in, custom, and third-party middleware.

Use a logger like morgan.

11

REST API Design

CRUD basics (Create, Read, Update, Delete).

Make CRUD API for a simple object (like books or students).

12

Working with JSON

Use express.json(), send/receive data.

Test using Postman or Thunder Client.

13

Environment & Config

Use .env and environment variables.

Practice with dotenv package.

14

Practice Project 2

Combine all Express concepts.

Build “Task Manager API” (CRUD with in-memory array).

🔹 Week 3: Database + Auth + Deployment (Days 15–21)

Focus: MongoDB, Mongoose, JWT, deployment basics

Day

Topic

What to Learn

Practice Ideas

15

MongoDB Basics

Install MongoDB or use Atlas. Learn CRUD commands.

Create sample database and insert few docs.

16

Mongoose ORM

Schema, models, CRUD via Mongoose.

Connect your API to MongoDB.

17

Validation & Error Handling

Mongoose validation, handling errors in Express.

Add validation to user schema.

18

Authentication (JWT)

Learn bcrypt, jsonwebtoken.

Create signup/login API.

19

Advanced APIs

Pagination, sorting, filtering.

Add query filters to Task API.

20

Project: Full API

Combine everything.

Build a mini “User Notes API” with login + CRUD.

21

Deployment

Push to GitHub, deploy on Render or Vercel.

Make it live! 🎉

🧠 Extra Tips

• Use VS Code + extensions: “REST Client”, “ESLint”, “Prettier”.
  
  

• Watch short YouTube tutorials when stuck (e.g., by Traversy Media, Web Dev Simplified).
  
  

• Practice every day — even 2 hours a day is enough if consistent.
  
  

• Document what you build (small notes in Notion or a README).
  
  

💡 After Node.js (Next 30–45 Days)

Once confident:

1. Learn MongoDB deeper (indexes, aggregation).
   
   

2. Learn React.js (frontend).
   
   

3. Connect both → full MERN stack project.