Build production-ready Node.js backend services with Express/Fastify, implementing middleware patterns, error handling, authentication, database integration, and API design best practices. Use when creating Node.js servers, REST APIs, GraphQL backends, or microservices architectures.
Comprehensive guidance for building scalable, maintainable, and production-ready Node.js backend applications with modern frameworks, architectural patterns, and best practices.
When to Use This Skill
Building REST APIs or GraphQL servers
Creating microservices with Node.js
Implementing authentication and authorization
Designing scalable backend architectures
Setting up middleware and error handling
Integrating databases (SQL and NoSQL)
Building real-time applications with WebSockets
Implementing background job processing
Detailed patterns and worked examples
Detailed pattern documentation lives in references/details.md. Read that file when the navigation tier above is insufficient.
Best Practices
Use TypeScript: Type safety prevents runtime errors
Implement proper error handling: Use custom error classes
Validate input: Use libraries like Zod or Joi
Use environment variables: Never hardcode secrets
Implement logging: Use structured logging (Pino, Winston)
Add rate limiting: Prevent abuse
Use HTTPS: Always in production
Implement CORS properly: Don't use * in production
Use dependency injection: Easier testing and maintenance
Write tests: Unit, integration, and E2E tests
Handle graceful shutdown: Clean up resources
Use connection pooling: For databases
Implement health checks: For monitoring
Use compression: Reduce response size
Monitor performance: Use APM tools
Testing Patterns
See javascript-testing-patterns skill for comprehensive testing guidance.
