Core knowledge points of Node.js

1. Node.js Fundamentals

• Definition and Characteristics of Node.js
• Event-Driven Architecture
• Non-Blocking I/O Model
• Single-Threaded and Event Loop
• CommonJS Module System
• Use Cases of Node.js
• Differences Between Node.js and Browser JavaScript
• Node.js Version Management Tools (nvm/n)
• Global Objects in Node.js
• Node.js REPL Environment

2. Module System and NPM

• Types of Modules (Core, File, Third-Party)
• require Mechanism and Module Loading Process
• Difference Between module.exports and exports
• Packages and NPM Basics
• package.json File Explained
• Common NPM Commands
• Semantic Versioning
• NPM Scripts (npm scripts)
• Global vs. Local Installation
• NPM Dependency Management
• NPM Private Registry Configuration
• Common NPM Alternatives (yarn/pnpm)

3. Event Loop Mechanism

• Phases of the Event Loop
• Macrotasks and Microtasks
• process.nextTick Explained
• setImmediate vs. setTimeout
• Libuv and the Event Loop
• Event Loop Performance Optimization
• Common Blocking Scenarios
• Event Loop and Promises
• Browser vs. Node.js Event Loop Differences
• Event Loop Observability Tools

4. Asynchronous Programming

• Callback Pattern
• Promise Principles and Usage
• async/await Syntax Sugar
• Error Handling Strategies
• Callback Hell and Solutions
• Event Emitter Pattern
• Publish/Subscribe Pattern
• Generators and Coroutines
• Async Control Flow Libraries
• Async Performance Optimization
• Common Async Pitfalls

5. Buffer and Stream

• Design Purpose of Buffer
• Buffer Creation and Operations
• Character Encoding Handling
• Stream Basics
• Four Basic Stream Types
• Piping Mechanism (pipe)
• Backpressure in Streams
• Custom Stream Implementation
• High-Performance Stream Applications
• Stream Error Handling
• Common Stream Use Cases

6. File System and Path Handling

• Core fs Module APIs
• Synchronous vs. Asynchronous File Operations
• File Descriptors
• File Watching
• Directory Operations
• Path Handling Module (path)
• File Permissions and Modes
• File System Performance Considerations
• Large File Handling Strategies
• Temporary File Handling
• File Locking Mechanism

7. Network Programming

• HTTP Module Explained
• HTTPS and Secure Communication
• TCP/UDP Programming
• WebSocket Implementation
• Network Proxy Implementation
• DNS Resolution
• Network Performance Optimization
• RESTful API Design
• Cross-Origin Handling
• Load Balancing Strategies
• Network Debugging Tools

8. Processes and Clustering

• Process and Thread Concepts
• child_process Module
• cluster Module
• Inter-Process Communication
• Process Management Tools
• Multi-Core CPU Utilization
• Process Daemonization
• Performance and Scalability
• Zero-Downtime Restarts
• Process Monitoring
• Containerized Deployment

9. Performance Optimization and Debugging

• Performance Profiling Tools
• Memory Leak Detection
• CPU Performance Analysis
• Garbage Collection Mechanism
• Caching Strategies
• Load Testing
• Code Optimization Techniques
• Debugging Tools
• Log Management
• Monitoring and Alerting Systems
• Load Testing Tools

10. Security Practices

• Common Security Threats
• Input Validation
• Authentication and Authorization
• Session Management
• Encryption and Hashing
• CSRF Protection
• XSS Protection
• SQL Injection Protection
• Dependency Security Scanning
• Secure HTTP Headers
• Certificate Management

11. Testing and Quality Assurance

• Unit Testing Frameworks
• Test Coverage
• Mocks and Stubs
• Integration Testing
• End-to-End Testing
• Performance Testing
• Test-Driven Development
• Behavior-Driven Development
• Continuous Integration
• Code Quality Tools
• Test Strategy Development

12. Frameworks and Tool Ecosystem

• Express Framework Core
• Koa and Middleware Mechanism
• NestJS Architecture
• GraphQL Implementation
• ORM Tools
• Template Engines
• Build Tools
• Deployment Tools
• Microservices Frameworks
• Serverless Applications
• Full-Stack Development Solutions