What you’ll learn
- Design resource-based REST endpoints with sensible URLs and status codes
- Build an Express server with routing, middleware and JSON responses
- Validate input and return helpful error messages
- Write automated tests for your endpoints
- Structure a Node project so it stays maintainable as it grows
Course content
3 sections · 9 lessons · 42 min
How REST APIs work3 lessons · 13 min
- Requests, responses and status codesVideo · 11 min
- Designing resource URLsReading · 1 min
- Choosing the right status codeReading · 1 min
Building the API3 lessons · 17 min
- Your first Express serverVideo · 15 min
- Middleware, the request pipelineReading · 1 min
- Validating inputReading · 1 min
Errors, tests and structure3 lessons · 12 min
- Centralised error handlingVideo · 10 min
- Testing endpointsReading · 1 min
- Structuring a growing projectReading · 1 min
Requirements
- Comfortable with JavaScript basics (functions, objects, async/await)
- Node.js 20 or later installed
Description
Learn how backend APIs are put together by building one: a small but realistic tasks API with routes, validation, error handling and tests. You'll learn the conventions that make an API pleasant to use, from resource naming to status codes. The course assumes you know basic JavaScript. Everything else, from installing Node to writing your first test, is covered step by step.
Instructor
Senior frontend engineer · 11 years building web apps
- 4.5 instructor rating
- 40 reviews
- 94 learners
- 2 courses
I've spent over a decade building web products for startups and larger teams, most recently leading a frontend platform group. I teach the way I wish I'd been taught: the fundamentals first, real examples, and small exercises that build into something you can keep.
4.6 course rating · 23 reviews
- Lucia Hassan5.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Clear explanations and practical examples throughout.
- Ethan Murphy5.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Practical from the very first lesson.
- Ananya Costa5.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Clear explanations and practical examples throughout.
- Kavya Khan4.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Clear and friendly teaching style.
- Fatima Sharma5.0 · Oct 22, 2026
The instructor explains things really clearly.
- Chloe Brown5.0 · Oct 22, 2026
One of the best short courses I've taken.
- Elena Larsen5.0 · Oct 22, 2026
One of the best short courses I've taken.
- Sneha Smith3.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Decent introduction, but I already knew most of it.
- Sam Kapoor4.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Helpful content. Would love a follow-up course.
- Ingrid Kim5.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Great value. I applied it at work the next day.
- Mateo Novak5.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Short lessons that fit around work. Finished it in a week.
- Ishaan Wang5.0 · Oct 22, 2026
One of the best short courses I've taken.
- Hannah Nair5.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Short lessons that fit around work. Finished it in a week.
- Nisha Pillai3.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Decent introduction, but I already knew most of it.
- Emma Martin5.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Clear explanations and practical examples throughout.
- Tara Iyer5.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Short lessons that fit around work. Finished it in a week.
- Adaeze Chen3.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Decent introduction, but I already knew most of it.
- Karan Hassan4.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Good course overall. A couple of lessons could go deeper.
- Ayesha Joshi5.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Clear explanations and practical examples throughout.
- Pablo Murphy5.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Exactly the level of detail I needed coming from frontend work.
- Zara Reddy4.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Solid and practical. Would love a follow-up on authentication.
- Kenji Khan5.0 · Oct 22, 2026
The section on status codes alone was worth it. Our team now follows these conventions.
- Aarav Sharma5.0 · Oct 22, 2026
Tests from day one, finally. Clear explanations of middleware.