You can't even remotely compare node.js to something like PHP. Node.js was designed to provide a full-stack high-performance IO framework, not a scripting language based on a web-server of your choice.
First of all, you HAVE to make sure you fully understand the node.js paradigm and it's event-based architecture. It's completely different to something like ASP.NET or PHP, you really have to rethink on the whole programming model. In order to achieve this, it's important to learn node.js FROM SCRATCH! Don't start directly with some framework like express or flatiron. Learn it from the basics: console.log('Hello world')
Maybe some good starting points:
- http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/node-js-server-side-javascript/
- http://www.readwriteweb.com/hack/2011/04/6-free-e-books-on-nodejs.php
Some further links:
Advanced documentation for node.js developer
