Free course

Express Course

Build an Express 5 application with clear routing, middleware, validation, sessions, errors, tests, security, and production behavior.

5 modules · 25 lessons · No signup

Prerequisites: JavaScript, Node.js and HTTP

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What you'll learn

Ship a tested notes application with HTML and JSON paths, secure input and sessions, useful errors, observability, and graceful shutdown.

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Course contents

  1. Express foundations

    Follow requests, construct the app, validate configuration, and serve static assets.

    1. Follow one Express request
    2. Create the application
    3. Configure without global mystery
    4. Serve static assets
    5. Check your understanding: express foundations
  2. Routes and responses

    Match routes, read inputs, negotiate representations, and finish responses once.

    1. Design route order
    2. Read params, query, and body
    3. Send one clear response
    4. Negotiate HTML and JSON
    5. Check your understanding: routes and responses
  3. Middleware and input

    Compose middleware and handle bodies, validation, uploads, cookies, and sessions.

    1. Compose middleware
    2. Parse only expected bodies
    3. Validate and normalize input
    4. Handle uploads, sessions, and cookies
    5. Check your understanding: middleware and input
  4. Errors, security, and observation

    Handle failures, proxy policy, CORS, logs, and shutdown safely.

    1. Handle async errors in Express 5
    2. Design error middleware
    3. Configure proxies, CORS, and headers
    4. Log and shut down
    5. Check your understanding: errors, security, and observation
  5. Test and ship Express

    Test the HTTP contract, separate domain logic, and verify production configuration.

    1. Test the HTTP contract
    2. Separate domain and transport
    3. Prepare production configuration
    4. Finish the notes application
    5. Check your understanding: test and ship express