# Node.js Fundamentals (Node.js / NestJS)

> Event loop, non-blocking I/O, CommonJS/ES6 modules, package.json, npm/yarn

- 20 interview questions
- Junior
- [Interview Questions: Node.js / NestJS](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions.md)

## 1. What is the event loop in Node.js?

**Answer**

The event loop is the central mechanism in Node.js that enables asynchronous execution. It monitors the call stack and callback queue, executing callbacks when the call stack is empty. This mechanism allows Node.js to handle thousands of simultaneous connections without creating additional threads, making the model very efficient for I/O operations.

## 2. What is the main characteristic of Node.js I/O model?

**Answer**

Node.js uses a non-blocking, asynchronous I/O model. When an I/O operation is initiated (file read, network request), Node.js doesn't wait for its completion and continues executing other tasks. Once the operation completes, a callback is added to the queue. This model enables excellent performance for applications with many concurrent I/O operations.

## 3. What is the main difference between require() and import?

**Answer**

require() is CommonJS syntax, loaded synchronously at runtime. import is ES6 modules syntax, statically analyzed before execution. ES6 modules enable tree-shaking (dead code elimination) and offer better optimization. CommonJS remains widely used for compatibility, while ES6 modules is becoming the modern standard.

## 17 more questions available

- What is the purpose of package.json file?
- What is the role of the node_modules folder?

Sign up for free: https://sharpskill.dev/en/login

## Other Node.js / NestJS interview topics

- [Node.js Core APIs](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/nodejs-core-apis.md): 25 questions, Junior
- [Asynchronous Programming](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/asynchronous-programming.md): 25 questions, Junior
- [Express.js Basics](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/express-basics.md): 20 questions, Junior
- [NestJS Fundamentals](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/nestjs-fundamentals.md): 23 questions, Junior
- [REST API Design](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/rest-api-design.md): 20 questions, Junior
- [Validation & DTO](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/validation-dto.md): 20 questions, Junior
- [API Documentation & Contracts](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/api-documentation.md): 20 questions, Junior
- [Error Handling](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/error-handling.md): 20 questions, Junior
- [Unit Testing](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/testing-unit.md): 20 questions, Junior
- [Task Scheduling](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/scheduling-cron.md): 15 questions, Junior
- [NestJS Modules & DI](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/nestjs-modules-di.md): 20 questions, Mid-Level
- [Configuration & Environment Management](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/configuration-environment.md): 20 questions, Mid-Level
- [JWT Authentication](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/authentication-jwt.md): 25 questions, Mid-Level
- [Authorization & RBAC](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/authorization-rbac.md): 20 questions, Mid-Level
- [Database with TypeORM](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/database-typeorm.md): 30 questions, Mid-Level
- [Prisma ORM](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/prisma-orm.md): 25 questions, Mid-Level
- [Middleware & Interceptors](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/middleware-interceptors.md): 20 questions, Mid-Level
- [File Upload](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/file-upload.md): 15 questions, Mid-Level
- [WebSockets](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/websockets.md): 20 questions, Mid-Level
- [GraphQL with NestJS](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/graphql-basics.md): 25 questions, Mid-Level
- [End-to-End Testing](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/testing-e2e.md): 20 questions, Mid-Level
- [Caching with Redis](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/caching-redis.md): 20 questions, Mid-Level
- [Queues with Bull](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/queues-bull.md): 20 questions, Mid-Level
- [DevOps, Logging & CI/CD](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/logging-monitoring.md): 25 questions, Mid-Level
- [Docker & Containerization](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/docker-containerization.md): 25 questions, Mid-Level
- [Microservices](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/microservices.md): 30 questions, Senior
- [Security Best Practices](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/security-best-practices.md): 25 questions, Senior
- [Performance & Cloud Deployment](https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/performance-optimization.md): 30 questions, Senior

---

Source: SharpSkill (https://sharpskill.dev), tech interview preparation for your real stack.
HTML version of this page: https://sharpskill.dev/en/technologies/node-nestjs/interview-questions/nodejs-fundamentals