Getting Started with NestJS

A beginner-friendly introduction to NestJS — what it is, why it matters, and how to set up your first project with its core folder structure.

I’m currently working on a backend project using NestJS, so I thought I’d share a quick overview of what it is and how to get started with it — especially if you’re used to working with Express or similar frameworks.

What is NestJS?

NestJS is a progressive Node.js framework for building efficient, scalable, and maintainable server-side applications. It uses TypeScript by default and combines elements from:

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
Functional Programming (FP)
Functional Reactive Programming (FRP)

If you’ve ever worked with Angular, you’ll feel right at home — NestJS follows a similar modular and decorator-based architecture.

Why use NestJS?

Built-in TypeScript support
Powerful CLI for generating boilerplate
Modular architecture (split your app into reusable modules)
Integrates well with Express, Fastify, GraphQL, WebSockets, and more
Great for microservices and monoliths

Installation

To get started with NestJS, install the CLI globally:

pnpm add -g @nestjs/cli

Then create a new project:

nest new my-nest-project

To run your app:

pnpm start