10 Node.js Books That You Should Have on Your Bookshelf

In the world where you can Google and find almost everything, good old books may seem to be a bit out-of-date… Especially technical ones!

However, some of them are truly irreplaceable when it comes to all-embracing patterns, covering the basics, or even leading us step by step from the fundamental concepts to some highly-advanced details. Best books on Node.js are not exception.

That’s why we’ve decided to prepare a list of 10 really good Node.js books that can help you in your career as a developer, no matter how experienced you actually are:

• If you’re a newbie, you’ll be able to master it, A to Z.

• If Node.js is not a novelty for you, some of these books will simply help you structure your knowledge, while the others are going to teach you certain new tricks.

Enjoy!

Beginning Node.js by Basarat Ali Syed

Grab this book and let Basarat Ali Syed walk you through the principles. This is one of the easiest way to get started. Among other things, you’re going to learn how to:

• set up the whole environment,

• develop scalable, full-stack applications,

• reuse your code to work more effectively,

• test and deploy your app on the Internet.

And you don’t even have to be advanced in JavaScript! Beginning Node.js includes a lot of clear diagrams and simple examples, making the process of learning quite engaging and understandable.

Node.JS Web Development by David Herron

If your JavaScript experience is limited only to the front-end, and you want to extend your skills to server-side development - David Herron is going to show you a great and simple alternative to PHP or Python. This is one of the best books to learn Node.js using the Express application framework.
Starting with only a rudimentary JS knowledge, you will progress step by step to build striking web apps. This practical guide covers not only the basics but also:

• mobile-first theming (with Bootstrap),
• authentication methods (using OAuth),
• microservice deployment (with Docker),
• real-time applications (with Socket.IO),
• unit testing (with Mocha),
• and functional testing of the app (with CasperJS).

Node.js Design Patterns by Mario Casciaro

This is the book for JS devs who want to dive deep into the Node.js environment, not only to get to know what to do (or when), but also... to understand why.
Mario Casciaro provides a bunch of best practises, and a lot of useful tips and tricks, while explaining in details the specifics. You will quickly learn how to:

• design and implement JS patterns,

• use the components to their full potential,

• easily handle the asynchronous code,

• prevent many common problems and errors.

Node.js Design Patterns is a must-read for both beginners and experienced developers alike.

Learning Node: Moving to the Server-Side by Shelley Powers

It is definitely not a book for a newbie but it could be really helpful if you already have a substantial knowledge of JS and you want to take your skills to the higher level.
It is full of useful programming and deployment examples.
And, what is very significant, Shelley Powers updated the second edition with the fairly new Node 6.0 LTS (Long Term Support) release. The book will simply help you:

• explore the full functionality of Node.js,

• built web apps and HTTP servers using Node modules,

• test the apps on fly using Node’s REPL console,

• get to know how to use Node.js in the IoT (Internet of Things) and microcomputers.

Getting MEAN with Mongo, Express, Angular, and Node by Simon Holmes

If you want to build dynamic data-driven apps, you should definitely get MEAN… Simon Holmes wrote a complete handbook (based on MongoDB 2, Express 4, Angular 1, and Node.js 4) - one that every budding full-stack developer ought to be familiar with.
Go through it, and get some very practical knowledge with ready-to-use examples! The author precisely explained one topic at a time, letting you adopt it before moving on to the other. The book most certainly deserves a place on our Node.js recommendation list because:

• it is easy to follow,

• it includes the whole package of useful information, also about technologies that can be used with or aside from MEAN stack, such as Git or Bootstrap,

• it helps to create fast and responsive applications using only one language - JavaScript. From soup to nuts.

Programming JavaScript Applications Robust Web Architecture with Node, HTML5, and Modern JS Libraries by Eric Elliot

This publication by Eric Elliot is for those of us, who are experienced JS coders willing to become more flexible and versatile in programming.
This is one of the best books on Node.js (and HTML5, too) that a JavaScript developer could read. The covered topics include:

• adding client-side and server-side functionalities to an app,

• best practices of organizing and reusing code,

• logging, authentication, and authorization,

• testing, integrating, and deploying software updates,

• building RESTful APIs,

• internationalization in order to expand the apps’ reach.

Node.js for Embedded Systems by Patrick Mulder & Kelsey Breseman

It is a straightforward introduction to Node.js as a platform for Internet of Things. Mulder and Breseman show us some great ways to connect the two words we live in nowadays - analog and digital.
Node.js for Embedded Systems will allow you to understand how to:

• use JS to program components like microcontrollers and sensors,

• run Node.js on Intel Edison or Raspberry Pi,

• use Tessel 2 platform to prototype IoT devices,

• make use of advanced libraries (such as Johnny-Five) to control machines remotely with Bluetooth,

• ...and much more!

This guide is simply going to teach you (on a basic to intermediate level), how to talk in JS with different kinds of hardware platforms.

Express in Action. Writing, Building, and Testing Node.js Applications by Evan M. Hahn

Express in Action is a complex, yet clearly-written tutorial on Node.js and Express.js framework but… you need to be fluent in JavaScript first, plus have a basic knowledge on web application design, too. In exchange, you’ll get:

• a proper introduction to Node.js,

• the key development techniques,

• a great piece of information about the libraries and tools,

• a glimpse into the code samples.

In the end, you are going to learn how to make use of Express 4 and 5 alpha to build a Node.js app from a scratch, and then take it to the level of testing, hooking it up to a database, and deploying on the Internet.

RESTful Web API Design with Node.JS by Valentin Bojinov

If you need a reliable starting point in RESTful API design with Node.js - don’t hesitate anymore, and dive into this excellent guide written by Valentin Bojinov.
The publication is not for first-timers, though. Moreover, it is strongly recommended to be proficient in JavaScript and have some of the basics covered in Node.js as well.
This book will frankly take you higher up from this point, teaching you how to:

• create server-side RESTful applications which are perfectly scalable,

• get rid of the third-party dependencies in testing,

• secure the services with NoSQL database integration.

All of it, and much more within the one and only Node.js platform!

Full-Stack JavaScript Development: Develop, Test and Deploy with MongoDB, Express, Angular and Node on AWS by Eric Bush

The handbook to full-stack JavaScript Development by Eric Bush covers all the layers of the classic three tier architecture:

• Data Layer (using MongoDB),

• Service Layer (within Node.js and Express framework),

• Presentation Layer (using Angular).

The author explained step by step, how the abovementioned technologies come together in allowing you to design, build, test, deploy, and then manage RESTful web applications. Flipping through the pages is enough to notice that the book is full of graphics and code snippets which make it easier to understand. Nicely done, Eric!

We hope that you are going to find this list really helpful. But maybe you can recommend some other Node.js books as well? Let us know in the comment section below!

See also where to host your Node.js app.