tell me all about node.
js i have a interview tomorrow
Sure — here’s a complete guide about Node.js to help you prepare for your interview:
🌟 What is Node.js?
Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform, JavaScript runtime environment that allows you to run
JavaScript code outside of the browser.
It is built on Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine.
Enables building server-side and network applications.
Uses an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model, making it lightweight and efficient.
🚀 Why use Node.js?
✅ High performance (V8 engine)
✅ Non-blocking I/O (handles many connections concurrently)
✅ Single language across frontend & backend (JavaScript)
✅ Huge ecosystem (NPM)
✅ Scalable network applications
✅ Active community and corporate support (used by Netflix, PayPal, LinkedIn, etc.)
⚙️ How does Node.js work?
Single-threaded event loop architecture.
Uses libuv library for asynchronous I/O.
Utilizes callbacks, promises, or async/await for managing async operations.
Designed to handle I/O-bound tasks efficiently.
🗂️ Core Features
Event-driven and asynchronous
Non-blocking I/O
Single-threaded but can handle concurrency via event loop
Built-in modules (HTTP, FileSystem, Path, Events, etc.)
Package management via npm
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🧰 Important Modules
Module Use
http Build web servers
fs File system operations
path File path operations
events Event-driven programming
os Operating system-related info
stream Handle streaming data
⚙️ Common Concepts
1️⃣ Event Loop
Core mechanism behind Node.js's async behavior.
Manages callbacks and non-blocking I/O.
2️⃣ Non-blocking I/O
Allows server to process multiple requests simultaneously.
3️⃣ Single-threaded Model
Though single-threaded, Node.js can handle thousands of concurrent connections due to the event
loop and async callbacks.
4️⃣ Package Management (npm)
World's largest software registry.
Install packages with: npm install package_name.
🏗️ When to use Node.js
✅ I/O-bound applications
✅ Real-time applications (chat apps)
✅ API servers
✅ Streaming apps
✅ Microservices
❌ CPU-intensive apps (heavy computation can block the event loop)
🗂️ Architecture
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pgsql
+---------------------+
| Application |
+---------------------+
|
+---------------------+
| Event Loop |
+---------------------+
|
+---------------------+
| Thread Pool (libuv)|
+---------------------+
|
+---------------------+
| Operating System APIs|
+---------------------+
❓ Common Node.js Interview Questions + Sample Answers
1️⃣ What is Node.js?
Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime built on Chrome's V8 engine. It
allows you to run JavaScript on the server-side and build scalable network applications.
2️⃣ What is an Event Loop in Node.js?
The Event Loop is the core mechanism that handles asynchronous operations in Node.js. It
allows Node.js to perform non-blocking I/O despite being single-threaded.
3️⃣ Explain non-blocking I/O.
In non-blocking I/O, Node.js does not wait for an operation to complete; it continues to
handle other operations. The result is processed asynchronously via callbacks, promises, or
async/await.
4️⃣ What is npm?
npm (Node Package Manager) is the default package manager for Node.js. It allows
developers to share and manage reusable code packages.
5️⃣ What is the difference between process.nextTick(), setImmediate(), and
setTimeout()?
process.nextTick(): Executes after the current operation completes, before any I/O events.
setImmediate(): Executes in the check phase of the event loop.
setTimeout(): Executes after the specified delay.
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6️⃣ What are streams in Node.js?
Streams are objects that enable reading or writing data piece-by-piece (chunks) instead of
loading the entire data into memory. There are four types: Readable, Writable, Duplex, and
Transform.
7️⃣ How does Node.js handle concurrency despite being single-threaded?
Node.js uses the event loop and async callbacks to handle multiple concurrent operations
without blocking the main thread.
8️⃣ When would you not use Node.js?
For CPU-intensive tasks (heavy computations), Node.js is not ideal since it can block the
single-threaded event loop.
9️⃣ What are some core modules in Node.js?
http, fs, path, os, events, util, stream.
10️⃣ What is middleware in Node.js?
Middleware are functions that process requests in a Node.js server (especially in Express.js).
They can modify requests and responses or terminate the request-response cycle.
⚡ Tips for Interview
✅ Understand Event Loop, async/await, Promises
✅ Know when to use Node.js and when not to
✅ Familiarity with npm and common packages
✅ Understand the architecture and performance characteristics
✅ Be ready to discuss building APIs with Express.js
✅ Explain callback hell and how to avoid it (with Promises or async/await)
Bonus: Popular Frameworks & Tools
Express.js → Minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework.
NestJS → Progressive Node.js framework for building scalable server-side apps.
Socket.io → Real-time bidirectional event-based communication.
PM2 → Process manager for Node.js apps.
If you want, I can also give you:
✅ More advanced questions
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✅ Quick revision notes
✅ Example small Node.js project you can explain in interview
✅ How to explain Express.js (commonly asked)
Just say 👉 “YES” if you want me to give those too! 🚀
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