🚀 Breaking My Comfort Zone: From Express.js to NestJS

As a full-stack developer, working across both the frontend and backend has given me a holistic view of web development. But when it comes to personal preference, backend development has always been my strong suit.

For a long time, I used Express.js as my go-to framework for building APIs and server-side applications. It's fast, minimalist, and easy to get started with — and it served me well in many projects. But over time, I began to notice a problem.

🧩 Getting Too Comfortable with Express.js

With Express, I could quickly scaffold projects and deliver features. But once I moved beyond simple APIs and started working on more complex systems, I realized that Express lacks structure by default.

I found myself rewriting the same boilerplate:

• Routing logic
• Manual dependency management
• Repetitive folder structures
• Middleware patterns for each project

Despite knowing this, I stuck with Express because it was familiar. I had unknowingly settled into a comfort zone — and that’s where my growth slowed down.

👀 Discovering NestJS (And Getting Intimidated)

At some point, I came across NestJS, a modern Node.js framework built with TypeScript and powered by Express or Fastify under the hood.

But when I opened the documentation for the first time, I felt completely lost.

It introduced concepts I wasn’t used to in JavaScript frameworks:

• Controllers
• Services
• Providers
• Dependency Injection
• Modules
• Decorators

My first thought? “This looks way too complex for what I need.”
So, I closed the tab — and continued using Express.

🔁 Giving NestJS Another Shot

Recently, I decided to revisit NestJS, but this time with a new mindset.

I stopped comparing it to Express directly and instead tried to understand why NestJS does what it does. What I found surprised me — the complexity I feared was actually there to help me.

Here's what I realized:

🔧 NestJS CLI in Action (With Explanations)

# Install the NestJS CLI globally
npm i -g @nestjs/cli

Installs the official NestJS CLI. This tool helps you quickly scaffold a project with best practices built-in — no manual boilerplate required.

# Create a new NestJS project
nest new project-name

Sets up a complete NestJS project with TypeScript, a clean folder structure, pre-configured tooling (like ESLint, Jest, and Prettier), and ready-to-use modules. It saves hours of manual setup.

# Generate a controller
nest g controller user

Creates a UserController that handles incoming HTTP requests related to the user resource (like GET /users, POST /users, etc.). Think of it as the entry point for client-facing HTTP routes.

# Generate a module
nest g module user

Generates a UserModule, which acts as a container for related components like controllers and services. This encapsulation supports modular and scalable code organization — ideal for large codebases.

# Generate a service
nest g service user

Creates a UserService where all your reusable business logic lives (e.g., database operations, computations, or third-party integrations). It can be easily injected into the controller or other services using NestJS’s built-in Dependency Injection.

✅ Why NestJS Makes Sense Now

💡 What I Learned

• Familiar doesn’t mean better: Comfort zones can slow down growth.
• NestJS isn’t complex — it’s structured: Once you understand the architecture, it becomes very intuitive.
• Frameworks shape how we think: NestJS encourages clean code, separation of concerns, and scalable design from day one.

🧭 Final Thoughts

If you're a developer who's been working with Express for a while and looking to level up your backend skills, I strongly recommend giving NestJS a chance.

At first, it might feel different — even difficult. But once you embrace the structure it offers, you'll find that your code becomes cleaner, more maintainable, and ready for scale.

Growth begins when you step outside what’s familiar.