Build-It Tutorials
Code-along developer walkthroughs where every snippet is a complete, runnable file. We build one real thing end to end, explain each decision, and point you at the free courses that take it further. No API keys, no hand-waving, no paywall.
How to Run Your Own LLM Locally with Node.js
A code-along tutorial: build a typed TypeScript client, CLI, and Express HTTP API for a local LLM with Ollama. No API key, no per-token bill. Every file is here to paste and run.
Build a REST API with Express and TypeScript
A code-along tutorial: build a working CRUD REST API for a task list with Express and TypeScript. In-memory storage, one runtime dependency, five routes. Every file is here to paste and run in about five minutes.
Build a Todo CLI with TypeScript and Commander.js
Build a persistent, typed command-line todo app from scratch with TypeScript and Commander.js. No frontend, no API, just Node.js, a local JSON store, and clean typed interfaces. You will learn how Commander.js parses subcommands and flags, how to read and write a typed JSON file with the Node.js `fs` module, and how to run TypeScript directly with `tsx` during development. Estimated time: 45 minutes.
Build a URL Shortener with TypeScript, Express, and SQLite
A code-along tutorial: build a working URL shortener API with Express, TypeScript, and SQLite. Three routes, a database that survives restarts, and a short code generated with nanoid. Every file is here to paste and run.
Build a JWT Authentication API with Express and TypeScript
A code-along tutorial: add JWT authentication to a Node.js API using Express, TypeScript, jsonwebtoken, and bcryptjs. Three routes, a password-hashing register, a login that returns a signed token, and a protected endpoint. Every file is here to paste and run.
Build a Markdown Notes App with React and TypeScript
A code-along tutorial: build a single-page markdown notes app with React, TypeScript, and Vite. Sidebar list, split-pane editor with live preview, and localStorage persistence. No backend, no signup. Every file is here to paste and run.
Build an AI Chatbot API with Express, OpenAI, and TypeScript
A code-along tutorial: build a conversational chatbot API with Express and TypeScript that calls the OpenAI API and keeps a short conversation history in memory. One file, one route, paste and run in about ten minutes.
Build a Discord Bot with TypeScript and discord.js
A code-along tutorial: build a Discord bot in TypeScript with discord.js v14. A /ping slash command and a welcome-message listener, every file inline and runnable. No paid plan, no Nitro.
Build a Web Scraper with Node.js, TypeScript, and Cheerio
A code-along tutorial: build a typed web scraper in Node.js and TypeScript with Cheerio. Fetch a page, select elements jQuery-style, write the results to JSON. Every file is inline and runs against a real practice site.
Build a Chrome Extension with TypeScript and Vite (Manifest V3)
A code-along tutorial: build a Chrome extension with TypeScript, Vite, and Manifest V3. A working word counter and reading-time tool with a content script, service worker, popup, and chrome.storage. Every file is inline and runs when you load it unpacked.
How to Test an Express + TypeScript API with Vitest and Supertest
A code-along tutorial: add real tests to a typed Express API with Vitest and Supertest, the two tools most working Node teams reach for in 2026. Export your app without calling .listen(), then assert on status codes and response bodies without binding a port. Every file pastes into a fresh project and runs.
Connect a REST API to PostgreSQL with Prisma and TypeScript
A code-along tutorial: take a task-list CRUD REST API and persist it in real PostgreSQL with Prisma and TypeScript. One schema file, a typed client, five routes, data that survives a restart. Every file is here to paste and run.
Build a Real-Time Chat App with Socket.IO, Express, and TypeScript
A code-along tutorial: build a real-time chat server with Socket.IO on top of Express and TypeScript. Messages sent in one browser tab appear instantly in another, no page refresh. Every file is here to paste and run, and it needs no paid API key.
Build a Rate-Limited API with Express, Redis, and TypeScript
A code-along tutorial: add real, production-shaped rate limiting to an Express + TypeScript API with express-rate-limit and a Redis store. Two routes, two different limits, counters that hold across restarts and multiple instances. Every file is here to paste and run.
Build a Data Dashboard with React, TypeScript, and Recharts
A code-along tutorial: build a single-page sales dashboard with React, TypeScript, Vite, and Recharts. A KPI stat row, a revenue line chart, and a category bar chart, backed by a typed mock dataset. No backend, no API key. Every file is here to paste and run.
Build a Weather App with React, TypeScript, and the Open-Meteo API
A code-along tutorial: build a weather app with React, TypeScript, and Vite that fetches live data from the free Open-Meteo API. Search a city, show the current conditions and a 5-day forecast, and handle the loading and error states properly. No API key, no signup. Every file is here to paste and run.
Build a Bookmark Manager with Next.js, TypeScript, and Server Actions
A code-along tutorial: build a bookmark manager with Next.js, TypeScript, and Server Actions, backed by SQLite. Add, delete, tag, and search links with no separate API layer, using Server Actions for writes and a Server Component for reads. Every file is here to paste and run.