Best NestJS Courses and Tutorials in 2026

Per Harald Borgen -

Best NestJS Courses and Tutorials in 2026

NestJS is the structured, opinionated way to build Node.js backends in TypeScript, but the learning options swing wildly in scope. They run from an 83-minute interactive intro to 40-hour deep dives, so picking the right starting point matters more than chasing the single "best" course in the abstract.

The real challenge with NestJS is not finding videos to watch. It is finding hands-on practice where you write the code yourself, including the decorators, modules, and dependency injection that trip up newcomers, instead of watching someone else type. This guide ranks seven strong NestJS learning options, judged on whether they are genuinely free or paid, how much you build versus watch, and how deep they go.

The short version: Scrimba's free Intro to NestJS is the best free interactive starting point, the official NestJS courses and Ariel Weinberger's Udemy course are the strongest paid picks for going deep, and freeCodeCamp offers the best free long-form video. Prices are verified May 2026.

What to look for in a NestJS course

A good NestJS course gives you hands-on practice, is honest about whether it is free or paid, follows a clear structure, and is explicit about how deep it goes.

It also helps to know that most learners need two things at different stages, not one course that does everything. First, a short interactive intro to grasp the core building blocks, including modules, decorators, controllers, services, pipes, and guards. Then a deeper resource for databases with TypeORM, authentication, microservices, GraphQL, and testing. The best resources are clear about which of those jobs they do.

One prerequisite is worth flagging early. NestJS is TypeScript-first and assumes you are comfortable with TypeScript and Node.js basics, so it helps to have those down before you start. Scrimba's Backend Developer Path covers that groundwork if you need it.

Best NestJS courses and tutorials at a glance

The table below summarizes the seven options on price, whether they are free, and format, so you can match a resource to your stage at a glance.

Course / Platform Best for Price Free? Format
Scrimba Intro to NestJS Free interactive start Free (Pro $24.50/mo annual) Yes Editable screencasts
NestJS official documentation Canonical free reference Free Yes Docs and guides
Official NestJS Courses (Fundamentals) Learning from the creator $129.99 lifetime No Recorded video
Udemy: NestJS Zero to Hero (Ariel Weinberger) One affordable paid course ~$29.99 (frequent sales) No Recorded video
freeCodeCamp NestJS courses Free long-form video Free Yes Video
Dave Gray Nest.js Full Course Free structured intro video Free Yes Video
Scrimba Backend Developer Path NestJS in a full backend track Pro $24.50/mo annual No Editable screencasts

Prices verified May 2026; paid platforms run frequent discounts.

The 7 best NestJS courses and tutorials

1. Scrimba Intro to NestJS: best free interactive starting point

Scrimba's Intro to NestJS is a free, 83-minute intro-level course taught by DonTheDeveloper. You build DevMatch, a developer dating-app API, while learning modules and decorators, controllers for GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE requests, services with CRUD, exception filters, pipes for transformation and validation, and an introduction to guards. It is an introduction, not a deep dive, so it does not cover databases with TypeORM or Prisma, authentication in depth, microservices, GraphQL, testing, or deployment.

What earns it the top spot for starting out is the format. Scrimba's "scrim" lets you pause the instructor and edit their NestJS code directly in the browser, so you are writing code from the first lesson rather than just watching. The course is genuinely free and includes a completion certificate, which makes it the lowest-risk way to confirm NestJS clicks for you before committing to a longer course. Scrimba Pro ($24.50 per month on the annual plan, or $49 monthly, with discounts available) adds the broader catalog and the Backend Developer Path (Scrimba), but Intro to NestJS itself costs nothing.

2. NestJS official documentation: best free canonical reference

The official NestJS documentation is free, thorough, and always current, including a guided "First steps" walkthrough. It is the authoritative reference for the framework, and you will return to it for years. Beginners tend to get the most from the docs when they pair them with a guided course rather than using them as their only resource.

3. Official NestJS Courses (Fundamentals): best for learning from the creator

The official NestJS Fundamentals course is taught by NestJS creator Kamil Mysliwiec and core team member Mark Pieszak. It costs $129.99 for lifetime access with no subscription, runs 80 videos and over five hours, and includes an official certificate of completion. It goes well beyond the basics into PostgreSQL with TypeORM, dependency injection, application configuration, OpenAPI generation, and testing. Optional paid extensions cover Authentication ($79), Microservices ($59), and GraphQL ($39 each), or you can buy the All-in-One bundle for $349. It is the most authoritative paid path for going deep.

4. Udemy NestJS Zero to Hero (Ariel Weinberger): best single affordable paid course

Ariel Weinberger's NestJS Zero to Hero is a roughly nine-hour course that builds a complete TypeScript backend, covering REST API design, authentication and authorization, database integration, and deployment to AWS. The list price is around $29.99, but Udemy discounts it heavily and often, and it holds a 4.5-plus rating from more than 100,000 learners. It is the best value if you prefer one owned, end-to-end course you can work through at your own pace.

5. freeCodeCamp NestJS courses: best for free long-form video

The freeCodeCamp YouTube channel hosts free, multi-hour NestJS courses, including a comprehensive build that takes you from database design through REST and GraphQL APIs and into WebSockets and deployment (freeCodeCamp). It suits learners who absorb a framework best by following a complete project from start to finish, then rebuilding it on their own.

6. Dave Gray Nest.js Full Course for Beginners: best free structured intro video

Dave Gray's Nest.js Full Course for Beginners is a free, roughly three-hour video split into clear chapters covering controllers, providers, DTO validation, and building a REST API. It is well organized and a popular free path for self-directed learners who want structured video without paying.

7. Scrimba Backend Developer Path: best for NestJS inside a full backend track

For learners who want NestJS as part of a complete backend skill set rather than a standalone topic, Scrimba's Backend Developer Path includes an Express and NestJS frameworks module alongside Node.js, SQL, TypeScript, cybersecurity, and a DevOps introduction. It is a Pro path ($24.50 per month on the annual plan, with discounts available), best for backend-curious developers who want the surrounding context, not just the framework.

How to choose the right NestJS resource for you

Match the resource to where you are in your NestJS journey, and expect to combine a free start with a deeper resource rather than picking just one.

  • Start fast and hands-on for free: Scrimba's Intro to NestJS gets you editing NestJS code from the first lesson.
  • Learn from the framework's creator: the official Fundamentals course.
  • Want one affordable owned course: Ariel Weinberger's Udemy guide.
  • Prefer free long-form video: freeCodeCamp.
  • Want a free structured intro video: Dave Gray's course.
  • Want NestJS within a full backend track: Scrimba's Backend Developer Path.
  • Need the canonical reference: the official docs.

A common path is to start free and interactive with Scrimba's Intro to NestJS to confirm the framework clicks and to grasp the core building blocks, then go deeper with the official courses or the Udemy course for databases, authentication, and microservices, keeping the official docs open as your reference throughout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is NestJS hard to learn?

NestJS is manageable if you already know TypeScript and Node.js basics, though its decorators, modules, and dependency injection feel unfamiliar at first. An interactive intro like Scrimba's free Intro to NestJS helps those building blocks click before you tackle databases, authentication, and other advanced topics.

Are there free NestJS courses?

Yes. Scrimba's Intro to NestJS is free and interactive, the official NestJS docs are free, and freeCodeCamp and Dave Gray both offer free long-form video. Many learners cover the fundamentals entirely on free resources, then pay only when they want advanced, structured depth.

Is Scrimba's NestJS course enough to learn NestJS?

Scrimba's Intro to NestJS is an 83-minute interactive intro, so it is an excellent start rather than a complete path. It covers the core building blocks while you build the DevMatch API, but for databases, authentication, microservices, and testing you will want a deeper resource afterward.

Do I need to know TypeScript before NestJS?

Yes. NestJS is TypeScript-first and assumes comfort with both TypeScript and Node.js basics, so it is worth learning those first. Scrimba's free TypeScript course and its Backend Developer Path both cover the groundwork NestJS expects.

Key Takeaways

  • Scrimba's Intro to NestJS is the best free interactive starting point: an 83-minute intro where you edit NestJS code in the browser while building a real API, free and with a completion certificate (Scrimba).
  • It is an introduction, not a deep dive, so move to a deeper resource for databases with TypeORM, authentication, microservices, and testing.
  • The official NestJS Fundamentals course ($129.99, lifetime access) is the most authoritative paid path, taught by the framework's creator.
  • Ariel Weinberger's Udemy course is the best single affordable owned course, and the official docs are the canonical free reference.
  • freeCodeCamp and Dave Gray offer strong free long-form video.
  • Prices were verified May 2026, and paid platforms run frequent discounts.
  • A common path is to start free with Scrimba, then go deep with the official or Udemy course, using the docs throughout.

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