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Node.js & Express Basics

Build the backend brain of any app with Node and Express — and earn in dollars for it.

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About this course

Learn server-side JavaScript from zero: run Node, create an Express server, build routes, handle JSON, add middleware, connect a database, and ship a working REST API. By the end you'll have a live, tested API on GitHub you can show clients and use to land remote backend gigs paid in naira or USD.

The frontend is what you see; the backend is the invisible engine that actually checks your password, moves your money, and saves your order. In this course you learn to build that engine — and backend skills are some of the few that reliably pay Nigerians in dollars.

What you'll learn

Course syllabus — 7 lessons

  1. What a backend actually does — and why it pays in dollars12 min
  2. Install Node, meet npm, and run your first script13 min
  3. Your first Express server — hello world that runs on a port14 min
  4. Routes and HTTP methods — GET, POST, PUT, DELETE14 min
  5. Middleware and handling JSON requests13 min
  6. Connecting a database so your data survives15 min
  7. Error handling, env vars, and shipping a clean REST API14 min

Your project

Build, Test & Document a Working Express REST API

A public GitHub repository link containing your Express REST API (with .gitignore excluding node_modules and .env) and a README that documents every endpoint, the HTTP method, an example request, and the example JSON response — plus a note of the Postman tests you ran for each endpoint.

Certificates on Skillnaija are earned, not issued for attendance: you submit this project, it is graded against a rubric, and passing issues a certificate anyone can verify.

Frequently asked questions

Is Node.js & Express Basics free?

Yes. Node.js & Express Basics is completely free on Skillnaija. You need a free account to open the lessons, and there is no charge for the course, the project, or the certificate.

How long does Node.js & Express Basics take to complete?

6 weeks · ~4 hrs/week. There are 7 lessons, about 2 hours of material in total. You learn at your own pace and your progress is saved.

Do I need any experience to start Node.js & Express Basics?

Beginner-friendly. You can start from scratch — no prior experience is assumed.

What will I learn in Node.js & Express Basics?

You will build practical skills in Node.js & npm, Building Express servers, Routes & HTTP methods, Middleware & request handling, JSON request/response, Connecting a database, REST API design & testing. Every lesson is written for a Nigerian context, with examples drawn from how the work is actually done and paid for here.

Do I get a certificate for Node.js & Express Basics?

Yes, but it has to be earned. You complete the course project — Build, Test & Document a Working Express REST API and submit it for grading. Passing the project issues a verifiable certificate; finishing the lessons alone does not.

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