Building Full-Stack Web Applications With Node.js and React Course Syllabus

Overview: This project-driven course guides you through building production-ready full-stack web applications using the MERN stack. Over approximately 8 weeks of hands-on learning, you'll progress from setting up your development environment to deploying a secure, tested, and containerized application with real-time features. Each module combines core concepts with practical implementation, emphasizing modern best practices in security, testing, and DevOps. Expect to spend roughly 6–8 hours per week to complete all content and projects.

Module 1: Project Setup & Node.js Fundamentals

Estimated time: 6 hours

• Node.js runtime and event loop
• npm/Yarn package management
• ES6+ syntax and modules
• Building a basic Express server

Module 2: RESTful APIs with Express & MongoDB

Estimated time: 7 hours

• Designing CRUD routes with Express
• Mongoose schemas and models
• Query filtering and pagination
• Testing APIs with Postman

Module 3: Authentication & Authorization

Estimated time: 7 hours

• JWT-based authentication flow
• Password hashing with bcrypt
• Authentication middleware
• Role-based access control (user vs admin)

Module 4: React Front-End Foundations

Estimated time: 6 hours

• JSX and functional components
• React Hooks: useState and useEffect
• Conditional rendering and component lifecycle
• Consuming REST APIs from React

Module 5: State Management & Routing

Estimated time: 7 hours

• Client-side routing with React Router
• Global state management with Redux
• Handling async actions with Redux Thunk
• Managing authentication state in Redux

Module 6: Real-Time with WebSockets

Estimated time: 6 hours

• Setting up socket.io on Node.js
• Real-time event broadcasting
• Socket rooms and namespaces
• Integrating WebSockets into React UI

Module 7: Testing & Validation

Estimated time: 7 hours

• Unit and integration testing with Jest
• Testing React components with React Testing Library
• Input validation using Joi
• Centralized error handling patterns

Module 8: Deployment & DevOps

Estimated time: 8 hours

• Writing Dockerfiles and Docker Compose files
• Setting up CI/CD pipelines with GitHub Actions
• Environment configuration and secrets management
• Deploying serverless functions on AWS Lambda

Prerequisites

• Proficiency in JavaScript (ES6+)
• Familiarity with basic web concepts (HTTP, REST)
• Basic command-line knowledge

What You'll Be Able to Do After

• Architect and build full-stack JavaScript applications using Node.js and React
• Secure applications with JWT authentication and role-based access control
• Implement real-time features using WebSockets
• Write and run comprehensive tests for both frontend and backend code
• Deploy and maintain applications using Docker, CI/CD, and cloud platforms