JavaScript on the server? Yep. Node.js is an elegant server-side JavaScript development environment perfect for scalable, high-performance web applications. With Node you access HTTP and TCP/IP functionality through a minimalist server-side Javascript interface. It supports an asynchronous programming model that enables the web server to more easily do more than one thing at a time, a key requirement for real-time applications such as chat, online games, and live statistics. And since it's JavaScript, you'll use the same language throughout your entire application. Node.js in Action is an example-driven tutorial that starts at square one and guides you through all the features, techniques, and concepts you'll need to build production-quality Node applications. You'll start by learning how to set up your Node development environment, including loading the community-created extensions. Next, you'll run several simple demonstration programs where you'll learn the basics of a few common types of Node applications. Then you'll dive into asynchronous programming, a model Node leverages to lessen application bottlenecks. With the basics under your belt, you're ready to start building serious web applications using Node's HTTP API. You'll explore data storage, application deployment, and output templating, and you'll discover community frameworks that make web development easier and faster. Along the way, you'll learn to interact with the filesystem and to create non-HTTP applications, such as TCP/IP servers and command-line tools. Much of the Node ecosystem is open source, so this book will show you how the community works and how you can contribute. You'll learn about the NPM Repository, where most community extensions reside, and you'll learn how to publish your own extensions. In addition, the book outlines online resources for getting help with any stumbling blocks you run into during your journey as a Node developer. WHAT'S INSIDE