Top Node.

js Interview Questions and Answers in 2024

Node.js is one of the most popular runtime environments in the world,

known for its efficiency, scalability, and ability to handle asynchronous
operations. It is built on Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine for executing
JavaScript code outside of a browser. It is extensively used by top
companies such as LinkedIn, Netflix, Walmart, Uber, PayPal, NASA, and
many more because of its robust features and performance.

In this guide, we will provide 50+ Node.js Interview Questions and

Answers tailored for freshers and experienced professionals with 3, 5,
and 8 years of experience. Here, we cover everything, including core
Node.js concepts, asynchronous programming, event-driven architecture,
error handling, design patterns, Node.js modules, and more, that will
surely help you to crack Node.js interviews.

Table of Content

 Node.js Interview Questions and Answers for Freshers

 Intermediate Node.js Interview Questions and Answers

 Advanced Node.js Interview Questions for Experienced

Preparing for Node.js interviews requires a deep understanding of core

concepts. The Full Stack Development with Node JS course helps you
build the practical experience and theoretical knowledge needed to ace
full-stack development interviews.

Note: Before proceeding to check these NodeJS interview questions and

answers you can learn Node.js with NodeJS Tutorial. This tutorial teaches
all important Node.js concepts like modules, file systems, NPM, databases,
etc which are often asked in Node Interviews.

Now, let’s discuss interview questions on Node.js. These questions will

be helpful in clearing the interviews for the backend developer or full
stack developer role.

Node.js Interview Questions and Answers for Freshers

In this section, we discussed basic node.js questions asked in the

interview.

1. What is Node.js?

Node.js is a JavaScript engine used for executing JavaScript code outside

the browser. It is normally used to build the backend of the application and
is highly scalable.

2. What is the difference between Node.js and JavaScript?

JavaScript is a scripting language whereas Node.js is an engine that
provides the runtime environment to run JavaScript code.

Here we have difference table between Node.js and JavaScript

Node.js JavaScript

Server-side runtime environment Client-side scripting language

Allows running JavaScript code

Primarily used for web development
on server

Built on Chrome’s V8 JavaScript Runs in a web browser’s JavaScript

engine engine

Enables building scalable Executes code within a browser

network applications environment

Provides access to file system Limited to browser APIs and

and network resources capabilities

Supports event-driven, non- Executes in a single-threaded event

blocking I/O operations loop

Used for building backend APIs, Utilized for creating interactive web
servers, and applications pages and client-side logic

3. Is Node.js single-threaded?

Yes, Node.js is single-threaded by default. However, it utilizes event-driven

architecture and non-blocking I/O operations to handle multiple concurrent
requests efficiently, enabling scalability and high performance in
applications.

4. What kind of API function is supported by Node.js?

There are two types of API functions supported by Node.js:

 Synchronous: These API functions are used for blocking code.

  Asynchronous: These API functions are used for non-blocking
code.

5. What is the difference between Synchronous and Asynchronous

functions?

Here we have difference table between Synchronous and Asynchronous

functions

Synchronous
Feature Functions Asynchronous Functions

Does not block the

Execution Blocks the execution
execution; allows other tasks
Blocking until the task completes.
to proceed concurrently.

Executes tasks
Initiates tasks and proceeds
Waiting for sequentially; each task
with other operations while
Completion must complete before
waiting for completion.
the next one starts.

Typically returns a promise,

Returns the result
Return callback, or uses event
immediately after
Value handling to handle the result
completion.
upon completion.

Error handling is more

Errors can be easily
Error complex and often involves
caught with try-catch
Handling callbacks, promises, or
blocks.
async/await syntax.

Suitable for simple, Ideal for I/O-bound

Usage sequential tasks with operations, network
Scenario predictable execution requests, and tasks requiring
flow. parallel processing.

6. What is a module in Node.js?

In Node.js Application, a Module can be considered as a block of code that

provide a simple or complex functionality that can communicate with
external application. Modules can be organized in a single file or a
collection of multiple files/folders. Modules are useful because of their
reusability and ability to reduce the complexity of code into smaller
pieces. Some examples of modules are. http, fs, os, path, etc.

7. What is npm and its advantages?

npm (Node Package Manager) is the default package manager for Node.js.
It allows developers to discover, share, and reuse code packages easily. Its
advantages include dependency management, version control, centralized
repository, and seamless integration with Node.js projects.

8. What is middleware?

Middleware is the function that works between the request and the
response cycle. Middleware gets executed after the server receives the
request and before the controller sends the response.

9. How does Node.js handle concurrency even after being single-

threaded?

Node.js handles concurrency by using asynchronous, non-blocking

operations. Instead of waiting for one task to complete before starting the
next, it can initiate multiple tasks and continue processing while waiting
for them to finish, all within a single thread.

10. What is control flow in Node.js?

Control flow in Node.js refers to the sequence in which statements and

functions are executed. It manages the order of execution, handling
asynchronous operations, callbacks, and error handling to ensure smooth
program flow.

11. What do you mean by event loop in Node.js?

The event loop in Node.js is a mechanism that allows it to handle multiple

asynchronous tasks concurrently within a single thread. It continuously
listens for events and executes associated callback functions.

12. What is the order in which control flow statements get

executed?

The order in which the statements are executed is as follows:

 Execution and queue handling

 Collection of data and storing it

 Handling concurrency

 Executing the next lines of code

13. What are the main disadvantages of Node.js?

Here are some main disadvantages of Node.js listed below:

 Single-threaded nature: May not fully utilize multi-core CPUs,

limiting performance.

 NoSQL preference: Relational databases like MySQL aren’t

commonly used.

 Rapid API changes: Frequent updates can introduce instability and

compatibility issues.

14. What is REPL in Node.js?

REPL in Node.js stands for Read, Evaluate, Print, and Loop. It is a computer
environment similar to the shell which is useful for writing and debugging
code as it executes the code in on go.

15. How to import a module in Node.js?

We use the require module to import the External libraries in Node.js. The
result returned by require() is stored in a variable which is used to invoke
the functions using the dot notation.

16. What is the difference between Node.js and AJAX?

Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment that runs on the server side

whereas AJAX is a client-side programming language that runs on the
browser.

17. What is package.json in Node.js?

package.json in Node.js is a metadata file that contains project-specific

information such as dependencies, scripts, version, author details, and
other configuration settings required for managing and building the
project.

18. How to write hello world using node.js?

const http = require('http');

// Create a server object

http.createServer(function (req, res) {

res.write('Hello World!');

res.end();

}).listen(3000);Run this program from the command line and see the
output in the browser window. This program prints Hello World on the
browser when the browser sends a request through http://localhost:3000/.
19. What is the most popular Node.js framework used these days?

The most famous Node.js framework used is Express.js as it is highly

scalable, efficient, and requires very few lines of code to create an
application.

20. What are promises in Node.js?

A promise is basically an advancement of callbacks in NodeJS. In other

words, a promise is a JavaScript object which is used to handle all the
asynchronous data operations. While developing an application you may
encounter that you are using a lot of nested callback functions which
causes a problem of callback hell. Promises solve this problem of callback
hell.

Node.js Interview Questions & Answers

Intermediate Node.js Interview Questions and Answers:In this set

we will be looking at intermediate Node Interview Question for candidates
with over 2 years of experience.

21. What is event-driven programming in Node.js?

Event-driven programming is used to synchronize the occurrence of

multiple events and to make the program as simple as possible. The basic
components of an Event-Driven Program are:

 A callback function ( called an event handler) is called when an

event is triggered.

 An event loop that listens for event triggers and calls the
corresponding event handler for that event.

22. What is buffer in Node.js?

The Buffer class in Node.js is used to perform operations on raw binary

data. Generally, Buffer refers to the particular memory location in
memory. Buffer and array have some similarities, but the difference is
array can be any type, and it can be resizable. Buffers only deal with
binary data, and it can not be resizable. Each integer in a buffer
represents a byte. console.log() function is used to print the Buffer
instance.

23. What are streams in Node.js?

Streams are a type of data-handling method and are used to read or write
input into output sequentially. Streams are used to handle reading/writing
files or exchanging information in an efficient way. The stream module
provides an API for implementing the stream interface. Examples of the
stream object in Node.js can be a request to an HTTP server and
process.stdout are both stream instances.

24. Explain crypto module in Node.js

The crypto module is used for encrypting, decrypting, or hashing any type
of data. This encryption and decryption basically help to secure and add a
layer of authentication to the data. The main use case of the crypto
module is to convert the plain readable text to an encrypted format and
decrypt it when required.

25. What is callback hell?

Callback hell is an issue caused due to a nested callback. This causes the
code to look like a pyramid and makes it unable to read To overcome this
situation we use promises.

26. Explain the use of timers module in Node.js

The Timers module in Node.js contains various functions that allow us to

execute a block of code or a function after a set period of time. The Timers
module is global, we do not need to use require() to import it.

It has the following methods:

 setTimeout() method

 setImmediate() method

 setInterval() method

27. Difference between setImmediate() and process.nextTick()

methods

The process.nextTick() method is used to add a new callback function at

the start of the next event queue. it is called before the event is
processed. The setImmediate is called at the check phase of the next
event queue. It is created in the poll phase and is invoked during the
check phase.

28. What is the difference between setTimeout() and

setImmediate() method?

The setImmediate function is used to execute a particular script

immediately whereas the setTimeout function is used to hold a function
and execute it after a specified period of time.

29. What is the difference between spawn() and fork() method?

Both these methods are used to create new child processes the only
difference between them is that spawn() method creates a new function
that Node runs from the command line whereas fork() function creates an
instance of the existing fork() method and creates multiple workers to
perform on the same task.

30. Explain the use of passport module in Node.js

The passport module is used for adding authentication features to our

website or web app. It implements authentication measure which helps to
perform sign-in operations.

31. What is fork in Node.js?

Fork is a method in Node.js that is used to create child processes. It helps

to handle the increasing workload. It creates a new instance of the engine
which enables multiple processes to run the code.

32. What are the three methods to avoid callback hell?

The three methods to avoid callback hell are:

 Using async/await()

 Using promises

 Using generators

33. What is body-parser in Node.js?

Body-parser is the Node.js body-parsing middleware. It is responsible for

parsing the incoming request bodies in a middleware before you handle it.
It is an NPM module that processes data sent in HTTP requests.

34. What is CORS in Node.js?

The word CORS stands for “Cross-Origin Resource Sharing”. Cross-Origin

Resource Sharing is an HTTP-header based mechanism implemented by
the browser which allows a server or an API to indicate any origins
(different in terms of protocol, hostname, or port) other than its origin
from which the unknown origin gets permission to access and load
resources. The cors package available in the npm registry is used to tackle
CORS errors in a Node.js application.

35. Explain the tls module in Node.js?

The tls module provides an implementation of the Transport Layer

Security (TLS) and Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocols that are built on
top of OpenSSL. It helps to establish a secure connection on the network.

For further reading, check out our dedicated article on Intermediate

Node Interview Questions and Answers. Inside, you’ll discover 20+
questions with detailed answers.
Advanced Node.js Interview Questions for Experienced

In this set we will be covering Node interview question for experienced

developers with over 5 years of experience.

36. What is a cluster in Node.js?

Due to a single thread in node.js, it handles memory more efficiently

because there are no multiple threads due to which no thread
management is needed. Now, to handle workload efficiently and to take
advantage of computer multi-core systems, cluster modules are created
that provide us the way to make child processes that run simultaneously
with a single parent process.

37. Explain some of the cluster methods in Node.js

 Fork(): It creates a new child process from the master. The isMaster
returns true if the current process is master or else false.

 isWorker: It returns true if the current process is a worker or else

false.

 process: It returns the child process which is global.

 send(): It sends a message from worker to master or vice versa.

 kill(): It is used to kill the current worker.

38. How to manage sessions in Node.js?

Session management can be done in node.js by using the express-session

module. It helps in saving the data in the key-value form. In this module,
the session data is not saved in the cookie itself, just the session ID.

39. Explain the types of streams in Node.js

Types of Stream:

 Readable stream: It is the stream from where you can receive and
read the data in an ordered fashion. However, you are not allowed
to send anything. For example, fs.createReadStream() lets us read
the contents of a file.

 Writable stream: It is the stream where you can send data in an

ordered fashion but you are not allowed to receive it back. For
example, fs.createWriteStream() lets us write data to a file.

 Duplex stream: It is the stream that is both readable and writable.

Thus you can send in and receive data together. For example,
net.Socket is a TCP socket.
  Transform stream: It is the stream that is used to modify the data
or transform it as it is read. The transform stream is basically a
duplex in nature. For example, zlib.createGzip stream is used to
compress the data using gzip.

40. How can we implement authentication and authorization in

Node.js?

Authentication is the process of verifying a user’s identity while

authorization is determining what actions can be performed. We use
packages like Passport and JWT to implement authentication and
authorization.

41. Explain the packages used for file uploading in Node.js?

The package used for file uploading in Node.js is Multer. The file can be
uploaded to the server using this module. There are other modules in the
market but Multer is very popular when it comes to file uploading. Multer
is a node.js middleware that is used for handling multipart/form-data,
which is a mostly used library for uploading files.

42. Explain the difference between Node.js and server-side

scripting languages like Python

Node.js is the best choice for asynchronous programming Python is not

the best choice for asynchronous programming. Node.js is best suited for
small projects to enable functionality that needs less amount of scripting.
Python is the best choice if you’re developing larger projects. Node.js is
best suited for memory-intensive activities. Not recommended for
memory-intensive activities. Node.js is a better option if your focus is
exactly on web applications and website development. But, Python is an
all-rounder and can perform multiple tasks like- web applications,
integration with back-end applications, numerical computations, machine
learning, and network programming. Node.js is an ideal and vibrant
platform available right now to deal with real-time web applications.
Python isn’t an ideal platform to deal with real-time web applications. The
fastest speed and great performance are largely due to Node.js being
based on Chrome’s V8 which is a very fast and powerful engine. Python is
slower than Node.js, As Node.js is based on fast and powerful Chrome’s V8
engine, Node.js utilizes JavaScript interpreter. Python using PyPy as
Interpreter. In case of error handling and debugging Python beats Node.js.
Error handling in Python takes significantly very little time and debugging
in Python is also very easy compared to Node.js.

43. How to handle database connection in Node.js?

To handle database connection in Node.js we use the driver for MySQL and
libraries like Mongoose for connecting to the MongoDB database. These
libraries provide methods to connect to the database and execute queries.

44. How to read command line arguments in Node.js?

Command-line arguments (CLI) are strings of text used to pass additional

information to a program when an application is running through the
command line interface of an operating system. We can easily read these
arguments by the global object in node i.e. process object. Below is the
approach:

Step 1: Save a file as index.js and paste the below code inside the file.

JavaScript

let arguments = process.argv ;

console.log(arguments) ;

Step 2: Run the index.js file using the below command:

node index.js

45. Explain the Node.js redis module

Redis is an Open Source store for storing data structures. It is used in

multiple ways. It is used as a database, cache, and message broker. It can
store data structures such as strings, hashes, sets, sorted sets, bitmaps,
indexes, and streams. Redis is very useful for Node.js developers as it
reduces the cache size which makes the application more efficient.
However, it is very easy to integrate Redis with Node.js applications.

46. What is web socket?

Web Socket is a protocol that provides full-duplex (multiway)

communication i.e. allows communication in both directions
simultaneously. It is a modern web technology in which there is a
continuous connection between the user’s browser (client) and the server.
In this type of communication, between the web server and the web
browser, both of them can send messages to each other at any point in
time. Traditionally on the web, we had a request/response format where a
user sends an HTTP request and the server responds to that. This is still
applicable in most cases, especially those using RESTful API. But a need
was felt for the server to also communicate with the client, without
getting polled(or requested) by the client. The server in itself should be
able to send information to the client or the browser. This is where Web
Socket comes into the picture.

47. Explain the util module in Node.js

The Util module in node.js provides access to various utility functions.
There are various utility modules available in the node.js module library.

 OS Module: Operating System-based utility modules for node.js are

provided by the OS module.

 Path Module: The path module in node.js is used for transforming

and handling various file paths.

 DNS Module: DNS Module enables us to use the underlying

Operating System name resolution functionalities. The actual DNS
lookup is also performed by the DNS Module.

 Net Module: Net Module in node.js is used for the creation of both
client and server. Similar to DNS Module this module also provides
an asynchronous network wrapper.

48. How to handle environment variables in Node.js?

We use process.env to handle environment variables in Node.js. We can

specify environment configurations as well as keys in the .env file. To
access the variable in the application, we use the
“process.env.VARIABLE_NAME” syntax. To use it we have to install the
dotenv package using the below command:

npm install dotenv

49. Explain DNS module in Node.js

DNS is a node module used to do name resolution facility which is

provided by the operating system as well as used to do an actual DNS
lookup. Its main advantage is that there is no need for memorizing IP
addresses – DNS servers provide a nifty solution for converting domain or
subdomain names to IP addresses.

50. What are child processes in Node.js?

Usually, Node.js allows single-threaded, non-blocking performance but

running a single thread in a CPU cannot handle increasing workload hence
the child_process module can be used to spawn child processes. The child
processes communicate with each other using a built-in messaging
system.

51. What is tracing in Node.js?

The Tracing Objects are used for a set of categories to enable and disable
the tracing. When tracing events are created then tracing objects is
disabled by calling tracing.enable() method and then categories are added
to the set of enabled trace and can be accessed by calling
tracing.categories.