I'm Felipe.

Front-End Developer

Node.js

🌿
tech javascriptbackend

Node.js

The runtime that made JavaScript a backend language. I use it daily for server-side work, build tooling, and scripting.

How I Use It

Backend for Frontend (BFF)

At eBay, Node.js sits between the frontend and the actual backend services. The frontend calls Node APIs, which call the real backends. This abstraction layer handles authentication, data transformation, and keeps the frontend decoupled from internal service details.

Build Tooling

Custom build scripts for things that can’t be configured declaratively. At eBay, we handle internal vs external authentication at build time through Node scripts. When the build system needs logic, Node is there.

Standalone Backends

Faz3D runs on a Node backend that processes uploaded 3D models, integrates with Orca Slicer, and generates print estimates. File processing, external tool integration, API endpoints. Typical backend work.

Scripts and Automation

Quick utilities, data processing, CI/CD helpers. When bash gets awkward, Node is the next step.

Frameworks

I’ve mostly used Express because that’s what the eBay stack has, plus serverless environments like Google Cloud Functions. Haven’t explored Fastify, Hono, or the newer options yet. Recognized gap, future experiment.

ESM vs CommonJS

If it works, it works. I’m not joining a project to religiously convert their module system. CommonJS codebase? I write CommonJS. ESM codebase? I write ESM.

I prefer the import/export syntax. It feels natural and matches other languages. But I’m not going to die on that hill.

For new projects, I let the framework handle it. Next.js, SvelteKit, Vite. They deal with the bundling complexity so I can focus on delivering value to clients and users instead of arguing about module systems.

On Deno and Bun

I’ve tried both on test projects. They work. Had some hiccups. Don’t see a compelling reason to migrate.

Most of my work builds on established Node infrastructure. Selling a full migration to experimental tooling is a hard sell that I don’t buy into yet. The ecosystem maturity and battle-tested stability of Node still wins for production work.