AI assistants are becoming an essential part of the modern software development workflow, helping developers write code, troubleshoot issues, and explore new solutions more efficiently. In this module, you'll learn how to use AI assistants effectively through prompt engineering, integrate AI tools into your development environment, and apply ethical and critical thinking practices when working with AI-generated code. You'll build the skills needed to collaborate with AI confidently while maintaining responsibility for the quality and accuracy of your work. Treat AI as a coding partner, not an authority. The best results come from asking clear questions, evaluating the responses, and using your own expertise to refine the final solution.

Building a backend application requires more than writing code. It involves organizing requests, managing application logic, and creating reliable server-side functionality. In this module, you'll explore how to use Node and Express to configure a web server, create routes, implement middleware, and handle errors. By the end of the module, you'll understand how these core components work together to support responsive and maintainable backend applications. As you build your applications, think about how each component contributes to the overall request-response cycle. Understanding how requests move through your application will make it easier to troubleshoot issues and develop scalable backend solutions.