Node.js Certifications and Certificates

If you’re looking for a way to demonstrate your skills in Node.js, you might be overwhelmed by the different certifications and certificate programs available. You might also have many questions, such as, will I need to become Node.js certified to get a job. How do I become Node.js certified? How do I prepare to become certified?This article aims to answer these questions so you can efficiently choose the right path toward a Node.js certification. Keep reading to find out more.

What is Node.js?

Node.js is a commonly used JavaScript library and is an open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment. Node.js is among the most commonly utilized JavaScript libraries. It is far and away the most commonly used runtime environment in the professional sector, with Node.js being utilized by upwards of 98% of Fortune 500 companies. It allows users to create server-side architecture using JavaScript to build applications and webpages that constantly communicate information to server architecture without needing specific input from either the user or the server. This makes Node.js a vital programming language for any application that needs to be constantly connected to a server without needing to query that server at any given moment. For instance, it is part of the server architecture that allows users to stream video content on the internet without needing to download an entire video file. It is what allows online chat tools to function.

Node.js is also an integral tool in the continued development and refinement of the Internet of Things. More and more of our daily lives involve interacting with devices connected to the internet, ranging from our watches and phones to our cars and refrigerators. The various applications that these objects run to serve their niche functions tend to rely on Node.js to build the server environments and the asynchronous data processing events that allow multiple physical objects to be in meaningful conversation with one another over an internet connection. If you are using your voice to tell the virtual assistant on your desk to tell your thermostat to lower the temperature, Node.js infrastructure was likely vital in that exchange.

Read more about what Node.js is and why you should learn it. 

What Can You Do with Node.js?

Node.js is an incredibly versatile runtime environment that lets users construct virtually any program that seeks to use the functionalities of a webpage without needing to open up a web browser. This is vital for many web applications, such as almost all direct messaging programs and chatbot software. If you are designing an application and want to include a live chat feature, you will likely need to use Node.js. Node.js is also used for single-page web applications like Google Docs and Gmail. Even something as simple as including push notifications or scrolling news and weather updates in your application will require using Node.js.

Node.js is also a vital part of making the Internet of Things possible. Node.js is one of the key frameworks and runtime environments that allow sensors to detect changes and stimuli and relay that information to a device connected to the internet. This means that if you use the voice command on a digital assistant to tell your Bluetooth speaker system to lower its volume, you are using a program made possible thanks to Node.js. As this technology becomes more advanced and enters into sectors like the automotive and medical fields, skilled Node.js programmers will be able to construct complex, interconnected, potentially life-saving new technologies.

Certifications vs. Certificates: What’s the Difference?

Many students new to the industry may be surprised to learn that there are multiple ways to become Node.js certified and that Node.js certifications differ from Node.js certificates. While they both demonstrate significant skills, mastery, and proficiency to employers, the way they signal proficiency varies.

Node.js certification is awarded when students sit down and pass a proctored skills exam demonstrating their proficiency in Node.js. These are timed exams offered through providers such as the Linux Foundation, and these exams do not come with a skills training component. They often expire after a fixed time, requiring users to take a new exam to update their certification.

Certificates are akin to diplomas and are awarded to students who complete industry-recognized skills training programs, such as the ones offered through Noble Desktop. These programs teach students the skills they need to become professional Software Engineers or JavaScript Developers. As a general rule, they do not expire.

Top Certifications & Certificates for Node.js

those looking to become certified in Node.js will have a few routes they can take. Noble Desktop offers a JavaScript Development Certificate program for students who want to become certified in JavaScript and Node.js. This course is designed for proficient programmers looking to master JavaScript and Node.js. As a career-focused course, students will also receive professionalization mentorship and work on building a sample portfolio to take with them onto the job market.

those looking to leverage their existing Node.js skills can become Node.js certified by taking an exam through OpenJS to become certified as service developers or application developers. These exams last two hours and simulate on-the-job tasks that Node.js developers will be expected to undertake. OpenJS offers review material to help students prepare.

Students can also prepare to take these exams by enrolling in a skills training course offered through Noble Desktop.

Should I Get Certified in Node.js?

For most Software Engineers and JavaScript Developers, being Node.js certified won’t be a requirement of your employment. The most important part of the application process will involve having a strong portfolio of sample designs to show hiring managers. However, becoming Node.js certified will demonstrate to potential employers that you have training in an in-demand skill and that you are ready to start working on Node.js assignments immediately, which can give you a leg up on the competition.

How to Get Certified in Node.js

For those looking to become Node.js certified, the best path is most likely to be determined by whether or not you feel comfortable with your level of Node.js training. Students with experience in Node.js and who have worked with the language at length will want to pass a certification exam since those students don't need additional training. Students who aren’t well-versed in Node.js or need training in other aspects of programming like JavaScript will want to enroll in a certificate-granting skills training program since those programs will cover both students' needs.

Learn Node.js with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Since Node.js is a JavaScript library, it is rarely taught on its own. It is so ubiquitous in professional JavaScript development that it is often taught alongside JavaScript as an equally crucial professional skill. Therefore, those looking to learn how to use Node.js will likely do so within the context of a JavaScript class or bootcamp. In these classes, students will learn the basics of using JavaScript to code web applications. Then they will receive training in how to utilize Node.js to expand the scope and functionality of those web applications. Many of these classes, particularly those with a significant Node.js component, presume that students are familiar with basic coding skills, particularly HTML/CSS, so looking at course prerequisites is advised.

At Noble Desktop, students can learn Node.js in a wide array of different course settings. However, no matter what program you enroll in, you’ll stand to benefit from the chance to interface with expert instructors in their field in small, intimate classes that rarely exceed twenty students. Even online, students will be placed in private classrooms with live instructors who can answer their questions and provide feedback in real-time. You can also retake any course within one year, giving them an extra chance to hone their Node.js skills.

Noble offers JavaScript and Node.js instruction in its web development certificate curriculum. These courses provide hands-on training in JavaScript and Node.js by giving them projects to code that mirror the kind of real-world projects they can expect to work on in their professional lives. You can opt to enroll in the JavaScript Development Certificate program or the Full Stack Development Certificate program. In these classes, you will receive professional career instruction in web development skills, including JavaScript. Students in the JavaScript Development Certificate program will learn how to use the advanced features of JavaScript and Node.js to build complex web applications. Students enrolled in the Full Stack Development Certificate program will receive this training alongside introductory HTML/CSS training, React training, and backend development instruction.

These courses are career-focused training seminars, meaning they are designed to take students from novices in their field and graduate them as trained professionals ready to enter the workforce as Web Developers. These courses deliver hands-on training in the kinds of Node.js projects students will be hired to work upon and provide one-on-one professional mentorship as a part of their professional development. Students will conclude the course by working on a final web development sample portfolio. Upon completion, they will be awarded a career development certificate which signals to employers that they are prepared to start working as Node.js experts.

Key Insights

• Anyone looking to improve their career opportunities as JavaScript Developers should consider becoming Node.js certified. Two major ways to become Node.js certified are by passing a certification exam or completing a certificate-granting skills training course.
• Certificate-granting programs are ideal for students who feel that they need additional skills training in Node.js
• Certification exams are the ideal way to become certified for students who have significant Node.js experience.
• Whether you are looking to enroll in a certificate-granting training program or brush up on your skills in preparation for a certification exam, Noble Desktop is available to help with live online or in-person Node.js training courses.