Main meeting: Node.js: the 800-pound Gorilla

REMINDER: This is now taking place in November.

Node is just JavaScript they said. All you need is basic JS skills they said. They were right! And like it or not, it's making big headway in the web industry with large organizations integrating it, or shifting entirely. In this talk we'll cover some of the nuances of Node.js development, starting with a discussion about what Node is at its core and some architecture and run-time basics. We'll chat about comparisons to PHP and some development gotchas. We'll end with some strategies for implementing a Node.js application along side your existing PHP code!

Developers of all levels will come out of this session with useful information and how to approach the 800-pound gorilla that is Node.js with no fear.

About our speaker:

Shortly after it arrived at his home in 1993, Jordan Kasper began disassembling his first computer - his mother was not happy. She breathed more easily when he moved from hardware into programming, starting with BASIC. Jordan's experience includes companies large and small, universities, and numerous OSS projects, working in many languages from C++ to PHP to JavaScript. He also participates in local user groups, barcamps, and hackathons. Jordan's primary mission for the last 10 years has been to evangelize technology of all sorts and share what he has learned to help others grow. He currently works as a Developer Evangelist for StrongLoop, a leader in Node.js API software from design to development to scaling and monitoring. In his down time he enjoys puzzles of all sorts and board games!

Schedule:

6:30 - 7PM: Meet & Greet

7PM - 8PM: Presentation

8PM - 8:30: Clean up

8:30 - ?: Retire to a local establishment to continue the conversations!