This Book is available free online at: http://nelsonic.gitbooks.io/node-js-by-example/ in MOBI (Kindle), PDF (everything) and ePUB (iBooks).
Node.js lets you easily build networked software (websites, applications "apps" using JavaScript).
Node.js is not "point-and-click" like WordPress, SquareSpace or Salesforce.com; you will need to write some "code". But as I will demonstrate, that's a lot easier than it sounds (if you're new to writing code), gives you more power/flexibility and puts you in full control.
If you have never written any code of any sort before, I recommend you starting with: http://gitbookio.gitbooks.io/javascript/ You need to have JavaScript basics to make the most of Node.js
Yes! Some of the biggest organisations/companies in the world are using Node.js in Production systems.
Alibaba,
Ajax.org,
Box.com, British Sky Broadcasting (Sky/Now TV),
CNN,
Cloudup,
Conde Nast,
DirectTV,
Dow Jones,
eBay,
Etsy,
FeedHenry,
GitHub,
Google,
Groupon,
HBO,
Help.com,
HP,
iTV,
Joyent (duh!),
Klout,
LinkedIn,
McDonalds,
Medium,
Mozilla,
NetFlix,
OpenTable,
PayPal,
Pearson,
Q,
Revolt,
Square,
Tesco,
ThomasCook,
Trello,
Uber,
Voxer,
Walmart,
Wikimedia (in progress of moving to SOA with node!)
Yahoo,
Yammer,
Yandex,
Zendesk
Want more? See: http://nodejs.org/industry/ and
https://github.com/joyent/node/wiki/Projects,-Applications,-and-Companies-Using-Node
The node.js ("core") has many useful modules.
Bookmark: http://nodejs.org/api (you will come back to it)
Which node.js core package(s) can/should I use?
Every core module has a "Stability Index" rating on the node.js API.
General rule: If you are being paid to write code
that runs in node.js,
pick core modules/methods
with stability Stable, API Frozen and Locked.
Core Modules to Learn
Community Modules to Learn: