Hire a Node.js Developer
A senior full-stack developer who builds and fixes Node.js backends: APIs, real-time features, integrations and background jobs, working remotely from Islamabad.
If you need a Node.js backend built, fixed or extended, the hard part usually isn't writing JavaScript on a server. It's everything a demo never shows: webhooks that arrive twice, background jobs that fail silently, a process that slowly eats memory, and an API nobody documented. I build Node.js backends that are boring in production, which is exactly what you want from them.
I'm Umer Farooq, a senior full-stack developer with 9+ years of experience. I work on the backend in Node.js and PHP (Laravel and CodeIgniter), on the frontend in React, Next.js, Vue and Angular, and on data in MySQL and Postgres. I'm based in Islamabad, Pakistan, and I work with clients remotely.
What I build with Node.js
- REST and GraphQL APIs for web and mobile apps, with validation, authentication and clear documentation.
- Real-time features such as live dashboards, notifications and chat, using WebSockets.
- Integrations with payment gateways, CRMs, email and SMS providers and other third-party APIs, with webhooks that are verified and safe to receive twice.
- Background workers and queues for emails, imports, reports and anything else that shouldn't block a request.
- Backends for React and Next.js frontends, including Next.js API routes and server-side code.
- Fixes and improvements to existing Node.js apps: slow endpoints, memory leaks, unhandled errors, outdated dependencies.
Express, NestJS or something else?
I'll recommend whatever fits your project and team, not my favourite. A rough guide:
| Option | Good fit when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Express | Small to medium APIs, or an existing Express codebase | Structure is up to you, so conventions matter |
| NestJS | Larger APIs and teams that want modules, dependency injection and TypeScript throughout | More boilerplate for small services |
| Next.js API routes | The backend is mainly serving a Next.js frontend | Long-running jobs and heavy processing belong elsewhere |
| Laravel instead of Node.js | Admin-heavy business systems, CRUD and reporting | Two backend stacks to maintain if you already run Node.js |
Because I work in both Node.js and Laravel every week, I can tell you honestly when Node.js is the right choice and when it isn't.
Keep your Node.js version supported
Production apps should run on an LTS release. According to the official Node.js releases page, as of October 2026 Node.js 22 and 24 are LTS, Node.js 26 is the Current release, and Node.js 20 and everything older have reached end of life. If your app is still on Node.js 18 or 20, upgrading it, along with the packages that depend on it, is work I can do in small, tested steps.
How I work on a Node.js project
- Understand the goal. A short call about what the app does, who uses it and what's hurting now.
- Audit or plan. For an existing app, I read the code, dependencies and deployment and give you a written list of risks and fixes. For a new build, you get a plan for the API, data model and hosting before any code is written.
- Build in small pieces. Each feature lands as its own reviewable change in your repository, with tests for the parts that matter most.
- Handle the failure cases. Timeouts, retries, duplicate webhooks, logging and error alerts are part of the job, not an afterthought.
- Deploy and hand over. On a VPS, a container platform or a managed host, with notes on how it runs so you're never locked in to me.
Hiring a Node.js developer in Pakistan
If you're looking to hire a Node.js developer in Pakistan, Islamabad is on UTC+5, which overlaps with UK and European working days and with US East Coast mornings. I work remotely with clients outside Pakistan as well as locally. You work with me directly, with no agency or account manager in the middle, and communication is in English, in writing and on calls.
Who this is for
- Startups and founders who need an API or backend for a web or mobile app.
- Teams with an existing Node.js app that's slow, unstable or stuck on an old version.
- Companies running React or Next.js frontends that need a backend developer who understands the frontend too.
- Businesses on PHP who want a Node.js service alongside their existing Laravel or CodeIgniter app.
Related services
For end-to-end projects, see hire a full-stack developer. For payment gateways and third-party APIs, see API integration developer. If your backend is in PHP, see hire a Laravel developer.
Book a quick call
Tell me what your app does, what stack it's on and what you need. In 30 minutes we can work out whether I'm the right fit and what a sensible first step looks like.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. I'm based in Islamabad, Pakistan, and work with clients remotely. You work with me directly, with no agency in the middle.
Both. Express suits small and medium APIs or an existing Express codebase. NestJS suits larger APIs and teams that want a stricter structure with TypeScript. I'll recommend whichever fits your project.
Yes, for new Node.js projects by default. On an existing JavaScript codebase, TypeScript can be added gradually rather than all at once.
Yes. I start with an audit of the code, dependencies and deployment, then fix the most important problems first, such as unhandled errors, slow endpoints, memory leaks or an unsupported Node.js version.
An LTS release. As of October 2026, Node.js 22 and 24 are LTS according to the official Node.js releases page, and Node.js 20 and older have reached end of life.
Yes. I'm a full-stack developer and work with React, Next.js, Vue and Angular, so one person can build the API and the interface that uses it.
Islamabad is on UTC+5, which overlaps with UK and European working days and with US East Coast mornings. Updates are in writing, with calls when they're useful.
Book a 30-minute call or send a message through the contact page. Tell me what the app does, what stack it's on and what you need, and we'll work out a sensible first step.
Ready to discuss your project?
Get in touch to talk about hire a node.js developer for your business.