Crash Course

Skill Base

A beginner crash course designed to teach you how to use the command-line interface, write and run Node.js code, and help you think like a real developer in just 21 days.

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Figure out if coding is your thing

Let's be honest — most people don't know where to start.

Maybe you've tried, maybe you haven't.

Either way, if you've landed here, you're probably wondering if this whole "learning to code" thing is actually possible for you.

You've watched videos, opened your code editor, followed a few tutorials. But nothing really clicked.

You kept running into things that weren't explained. You jumped between tools without understanding how they fit together. You got stuck, lost momentum, and quietly gave up.

And now you're not even sure what the next step is — or if it's even worth trying again.

Here's the truth: you're not the problem. You've just never had the right structure.

No roadmap. No support. No chance to actually build something that works and know why it works.

That's about to change.

What you'll learn in just 21 days

You won't just follow steps — you'll understand what each one does and why it matters.

By the end of the 21 days, you'll know how to:

  • Use your terminal like a developer
  • Write real Node.js code, without relying on copy-paste
  • Understand how code runs in the terminal
  • Build and run small programs using Node.js
  • Organize your projects and navigate your files like a pro
  • Think through a problem, break it down, and write working code to solve it

How the course works

Here's what to expect once you enroll.

Each day, you'll get an email that links to a new lesson.

Each lesson takes at most 1 hour to complete and is designed to:

  • Teach you one fundamental concept
  • Explain and demonstrate how it works in context
  • Walk you through a short practical exercise you'll run on your own machine

You'll code locally using real tools: the terminal, VS Code, and Node.js.

No in-browser editors.
No copy-paste templates.
No filler content.

You can go at your own pace, but the daily drip will help you keep moving forward.

And if you get stuck or want feedback, you'll have access to a private channel with the other participants.

The curriculum

Here's an overview of the chapters composing this crash course.

Day 1: Setup Guide

In this lesson, you'll set up your machine and install the tools you'll need for the course.

Day 2: The Command-Line Interface

In this lesson, you'll take your first steps into the world of the command-line interface, also known as the CLI.

Day 3: The Anatomy of Commands

In this lesson, you'll learn the structure of a typical shell command, how to supply options and data to it using flags and arguments, and how to explore the behavior of commands using built-in help tools.

Day 4: Navigate the Filesystem

In this lesson, you'll explore how files and folders are structured in Unix-like operating systems, and how to move around this hierarchy using the pwd and cd commands.

Day 5: List and View Files

In this lesson, you'll learn how to explore what's inside those directories using the ls command, and how to view the contents of files directly from the terminal using the cat command.

Day 6: Create and Move Files

In this lesson, you'll take your first step toward manipulating the filesystem by learning how to create, move, and rename files and directories using the touch, mkdir, and mv commands.

Day 7: Copy and Delete Files

In this lesson, you'll expand your file management skills by learning how to copy and delete files and directories using the cp and rm commands.

Day 8: Write and Append Output to Files

In this lesson, you'll take your first step toward controlling output by learning how to redirect the result of commands into files using the redirection operator, and how to create files from scratch using the cat command.

Day 9: Run JavaScript with Node.js

In this lesson, you'll get familiar with JavaScript' syntax and discover how Node.js allows you to run JavaScript code directly from your terminal.

Day 10: Store and Reuse Data with Variables

In this lesson, you'll take your first step toward writing meaningful programs by learning how to store and reuse data using JavaScript variables.

Day 11: Work with Numbers

In this lesson, you'll take your first step into computation by learning how to perform arithmetic operations and calculations on integer numbers and floating-point numbers.

Day 12: Control Execution Flow with Conditionals

In this lesson, you'll take your first step into program logic by learning how to control the flow of execution using conditional statements.

Day 13: Combine Conditions with Logical Operators

In this lesson, you'll take that a step further by learning how to combine multiple conditions using logical operators.

Day 14: Repeat Statements with Loops

In this lesson, you'll take your first step into repetition by learning how to automatically repeat code using loops.

Day 15: Work with Strings

In this lesson, you'll shift focus from repetition to text processing by learning how to work with strings.

Day 16: Reuse Code with Functions

In this lesson, you'll take your first step into abstraction and code reuse by learning how to group a set of instructions into a single reusable block called a function.

Day 17: Work with Objects

In this lesson, you'll take your first step into data modeling by learning how to group related values together using one of the most fundamental data structures in JavaScript called objects.

Day 18: Work with Arrays

In this lesson, you'll learn how to manage ordered collections of data using another fundamental JavaScript data structure called arrays.

Day 19: Write CLI Scripts

In this lesson, you'll take your first step toward building interactive scripts by leveraging Node.js' global process object.

Day 20: The CommonJS Module System

In this lesson, you'll learn how to organize your code into reusable files called modules using Node.js' CommonJS module system.

Day 21: Build a CLI Hangman

In this lesson, you'll apply everything you've learned by building an interactive Hangman game that runs in the terminal.

The exercises you'll code

Here's an overview of the practical, hands-on exercises you'll code.

Calculate a Discounted Price

The objective of this exercise is to write a Node.js script that applies a discount to a price.

Convert Minutes to Hours

The objective of this exercise is to write a Node.js script that converts minutes to hours.

Final Grade Calculator

The objective of this exercise is to write a Node.js script that calculates a student's final grade and outputs a performance message based on it.

Schedule

The objective of this exercise is to write a Node.js script that determines whether a shop is open or closed.

Pyramid

The objective of this exercise is to write a Node.js script that outputs a pyramid of numbers.

Progress Bar

The objective of this exercise is to write a Node.js script that outputs a progress bar of variable size in the terminal.

Calculator

The objective of this exercise is to write a Node.js script that implements a basic arithmetic calculator.

Fight Simulator

The objective of this exercise is to write a Node.js script that simulates a boxing fight.

Receipt Generator

The objective of this exercise is to write a Node.js script that generates a receipt based on the items of a shopping cart.

Password Generator

The objective of this exercise is to write a Node.js script that generates random passwords.

Path Parser

The objective of this exercise is to write a module that provides functionalities for parsing file paths.

Hangman

The objective of this exercise is to write a Hangman word guessing game.

Who is this for?

  • People who want a quick way to discover programming in Node.js

Do I need prior knowledge?

No. This module doesn't require any prior knowledge.

Why learn from me?

Razvan Ludosanu Profile Picture

Hi, I'm Razvan 👋 — A university dropout turned senior backend engineer, technical writer, online teacher, and founder of Learn Backend.

It's no secret: learning backend development on your own is extremely hard.

Before becoming a senior Node.js engineer with now over a decade of experience, I also failed at it for years... and probably for the same reasons you're struggling with it right now.

The internet is full of content, but very little direction. No one tells you what to learn first, what to ignore, or how it all fits together.

This is why I created Learn Backend: a roadmap that teaches the core principles first, gradually introduces hands-on skills, and shows how all the pieces logically fit together.

I wanted to give people like me, and maybe you, the best fighting chance to make it in the software industry as job-ready backend developers — without wasting the years or facing the same unnecessary hurdles I did.

So if you're tired of guessing what to learn next or overwhelmed by all the noise, Learn Backend was built for you.

Get Skill Base

A crash course designed to teach you how to use the command-line interface, write and run Node.js code, and help you think like a real developer in just 21 days.

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What's included:

  • 21 lessons with code examples
  • 12 exercises with commented solutions
  • Daily email reminders
  • Lifetime access
  • Exclusive offers

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