# The Top Skills Every Node.JS Developer Should Have ![](https://i.imgur.com/5ihjEg0.jpg) Node.js is the most popular framework in web development technology. As per the survey report from Stack Overflow Developer, the popularity of Node.js is growing. Well, it's not surprising because of the flexibility and simplicity of JavaScript. To flourish in this field, there are essential [**skills required for a Node.js developer**]( https://www.baremetals.io/articles/Skills-node.js-developers-should-have ). In this post, we will break down the essential skills that every Node.js developer needs to focus on. This list will help you keep your skills fresh or learn what it takes to become a Node.js web developer. **Know Node.js and know it well. Let’s dig deeper.** **Node.js:** Knowing Node.js isn't enough to use it as a web application framework. You should understand Node.js's working structure from the core and be familiar with the APIs of Node.js. This web development technology has created new guidelines and information to help you learn Node.js topics deeply. Three Node.js API areas that are widely used in web application development are buffers, HTTP, and file manipulation. Additionally, you should stay updated on current Node.js features like async/await because the Node.js API is always changing. **Web application frameworks:** The web application framework is any Node.js application's most crucial dependency. If you haven't chosen a framework as a developer, go with Express. This Eran Hammer framework has been shared more than any other framework combined. The second most popular is Hapi.js, which was also created by Hammer. The Express provides an excellent opportunity to rapidly accelerate new codebases. You can even create your own using an HTTP module. **Security:** This is the most serious concern in the web world. Due to recent breaches and issues, it has become a necessity. You must be aware of the most recent critical internet security concerns. It will assist you in determining where you should work for security. As a result, learning secure authentication for web applications is critical. Learn how to code efficiently in Node.js using encryption. For encryption, developers can use Bcrypt, an algorithm commonly used in the npm package. **Front End:** A large portion of a Node.js Web Developer's job description is devoted to the back-end code of a Node.js website. But you will often need to work on the front end to design the user experience. Understanding front-end technologies like client-side [**JavaScript, HTML, and CSS**](https://www.baremetals.io/courses/web-development-101) won't do anything more than simplify the slight move. The front-end framework will assist in learning how to create good UI with minimal effort. Databases: Node.js code won't be enough to run a web application, but you will also require a database framework. It will help to know how to store dynamic data in the persistence layer. There are many ways to list your data, but the best way is with the ORM (Object Relational Mapping) tool to interact with Node.js. You might hear the term "MongoDB" for the NoSQL option, it is the most popular ORM. If you are seeking how you can adapt these skills, then look no further. [**Baremetals Academy**](https://www.baremetals.io/) is a great platform to learn Node.js developer skills. We provide online courses to get hands-on web development using the Node.js framework. To find out more information on essential skills for Node.js development, visit our website.