Server-side JavaScript runtime and ecosystem.
Use .env files with dotenv for development, environment variables for production, and validate config at startup with libraries like Zod or envalid.
CommonJS uses require/module.exports with synchronous loading, while ES Modules use import/export with static analysis support.
Organize by feature/domain rather than type, separate business logic from framework code, and use clear boundaries between layers.
Express is the most popular and flexible, Fastify is faster with built-in validation, and Hono/ElysiaJS are modern alternatives with TypeScript focus.
Node.js uses a single-threaded event loop with libuv for async I/O, enabling non-blocking operations without thread overhead.
Streams process data piece by piece rather than loading everything into memory, ideal for handling large files or data transfers.
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