Day 1: Understanding RESTful APIs and Setting Up Express.js

Session 1: Introduction to RESTful APIs

• What is REST, and why use RESTful APIs?
• Understanding HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE)
• RESTful API best practices and common pitfalls

Session 2: Setting Up an Express.js Server

• Installing Node.js and Express.js
• Understanding Express middleware and request handling
• Creating basic routes and controllers

Session 3: Hands-on Lab – Building a Simple API with Express.js

• Creating an Express server with basic API routes
• Implementing request handling and JSON responses

Day 2: Connecting APIs with a Database and Authentication

Session 1: Database Integration with MongoDB or PostgreSQL

• Introduction to database integration in Express.js
• Setting up MongoDB (Mongoose) or PostgreSQL (Sequelize)
• Implementing CRUD operations with a database

Session 2: Authentication and Authorization in RESTful APIs

• Understanding JWT (JSON Web Tokens) for authentication
• Implementing user authentication (signup, login, logout)
• Protecting API routes using middleware and role-based access control (RBAC)

Session 3: Hands-on Lab – Securing an API with Authentication

• Adding JWT authentication to an API
• Creating protected API routes for authenticated users

Day 3: API Security, Testing, and Deployment

Session 1: Handling Errors and Validations in APIs

• Implementing error handling middleware
• Using Express Validator for input validation
• Logging API requests using Morgan and Winston

Session 2: Deploying and Testing a RESTful API

• Using Postman to test API requests and responses
• Debugging common API issues
• Deploying an API to Heroku, AWS, or Firebase

Session 3: Hands-on Lab – Deploying a Secure API

• Deploying a RESTful API to the cloud
• Securing API keys and configuring environment variables