Backend Frameworks
This section introduces the backend frameworks used in the project—Express.js and Node.js—along with their roles, features, and integration strategies.
What Is a Backend Framework?
A backend framework runs on the server and handles core tasks such as:
- Managing routes and handling requests
- Sending data to and from the frontend
- Performing server-side logic
- Controlling application flow behind the scenes
In this project, we use:
- Node.js – the runtime that executes JavaScript on the server
- Express.js – a minimalist framework for routing and middleware
Node.js
What is Node.js?
Node.js is a JavaScript runtime built on Chrome's V8 engine. It allows developers to run JavaScript code outside the browser — perfect for server-side apps.
Key Features
- Fast and event-driven
- Asynchronous and non-blocking
- Uses JavaScript everywhere (frontend + backend)
- Ideal for lightweight backend services
Express.js
What is Express?
Express.js is a minimal web framework for Node.js that makes it easy to define server routes and logic.
Key Features
- Route-based architecture (
GET,POST,PUT,DELETE) - Support for middleware (e.g., logging, error handling)
- Easily connects to frontend via JSON APIs
- Simple syntax, fast to set up
Implementation Notes
- The backend is powered by Node.js with Express.js for routing
- Routes are created for key endpoints (e.g.,
/api/lessons) - Middleware is used to handle logging, parsing, and error handling
- Project structure separates routes, controllers, and configuration files
We’ve included a simple Express.js boilerplate to help you get started. It includes example routes, middleware, and comments to guide your learning process.
External Learning Resources
Summary
This section focuses on how Node.js and Express.js work together to power the backend of our educational platform. You’ll learn:
- What backend frameworks do
- How to structure a simple server
- How Express routes handle frontend requests
Frame101 uses this lightweight setup to handle core functionality without unnecessary complexity — perfect for beginner developers building full-stack learning tools.