How Express Works?

ExpressJS is a fast and minimal web application framework that is built on top of NodeJS. It provides a robust set of features such as handling HTTP requests, implementing middleware, routing etc. which can be utilized to build dynamic web applications, mobile applications and implement APIs.

It is a thin, lightweight and flexible framework core web application features. Additional features can be added through the use of Express middleware modules. In this article, we will explore how Express works.

Prerequisites:

• Node.js
• Npm

Installing Express:

Step 1: Initialize and Node.js project

mkdir express-app
cd express-app
npm init -y

Step 2: Install Express using npm

npm install express

To add express to a pre-existing node project,

Step 3: Add express to the dependencies in package.json

Step 4: Install all the dependencies using `npm install`

Usage of Express:

Depending on an application's requirements, Express.js can be used in various ways such as:

1. Creating a basic server
2. Implementing middleware
3. Routing
4. Handling HTTP requests
5. Integrating with databases.

Creating a Basic Server

To create an Express server, initialize a node.js project and install express following the installation guide. Then create an app instance and define a port for the server to listen on as show in the following code:

const express = require('express');
const app = express();
const port = 3000;

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
    res.send('Server is online!');
});

app.listen(port, () => {
    console.log(`Server is running on http://localhost:${port}`);
});

To run the server use the command:

 `node <filename>.js`

Implementing middleware

Middleware function are functions that have access to the request object and are executed before the requests are handled. Middleware functions can be added using `app.use(middleware)`

const express = require('express');
const app = express();

app.use((req, res, next) => {
    console.log('Middleware function executed');
  next();
});

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
    res.send('Hello World!');
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
    console.log('Server is running on http://localhost:3000');
});

The middleware function is executed every time a request is sent to the server.

Creating Routes

Routes can be defined as endpoints of an application that are utilized to describe how the server responds to client's requests. routes can be create using `app.[HTTP Method](<routename>, handler function)`. example:

const express = require('express');
const app = express();

app.get('/about', (req, res) => {
    console.log('accessed about us page');
    res.send('About Page');
});

app.get('/contact', (req, res) => {
    console.log('accessed contact us page');
    res.send('Contact Page');
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
    console.log('Server is running on http://localhost:3000');
});

Here when a request is sent to `http:localhost:3000/about` the handler function corresponding to the route is executed.

Handling HTTP methods

Express allows you to handle various HTTP methods like GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc. as follows:

const express = require('express');
const app = express();

app.post('/submit', (req, res) => {
    res.send('Form Submitted');
});

app.put('/update', (req, res) => {
    res.send('Data Updated');
});

app.delete('/delete', (req, res) => {
    res.send('Data Deleted');
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
    console.log('Server is running on http://localhost:3000');
});

Functioning of these routes be tested using dev tools such as postman or using a browser.

Integrating with Databases

Express be integrated with databased such as MongoDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL to store and perform operations on data.

const express = require('express');
const mongoose = require('mongoose');
const bodyParser = require('body-parser');

const app = express();
const port = 3000;

mongoose.connect('mongodb://localhost:27017/mydatabase');

const Schema = mongoose.Schema;
const StudentSchema = new Schema({
    name: String
});

const Student = mongoose.model('Student', StudentSchema);

app.use(bodyParser.json());

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
    res.send('Hello World!');
});

app.get('/students', async (req, res) => {
    try {
        const students = await Student.find({}, 'name');
        res.json(students);
  } catch (error) {
        res.status(500).send(error);
  }
});

app.listen(port, () => {
    console.log(`Server is running on http://localhost:${port}`);
});

Why Use Express?

1. Minimalist Framework: Express does not enforce a particular way of structuring your application.
2. Robust Routing: It provides a robust routing mechanism for handling different HTTP requests.
3. Middleware Support: Allows for easy integration of middleware to process requests and responses.
4. Performance: Built on top of Node.js, it uses its asynchronous, non-blocking nature for high performance.
5. Community and Ecosystem: A vast and active community contributes to a rich ecosystem of middleware and plugins.

Conclusion

Express.js simplifies the process of building web applications by providing a powerful framework that handles routing, middleware, HTTP methods, and integrates well with databases