🚀 Node.js Express Tutorial: Building Web Applications

Welcome to the Node.js Express tutorial! Express.js is a popular web application framework for Node.js, known for its simplicity and flexibility. Let's dive into the essentials of creating a basic server and handling routes.

🧰 Prerequisites

• Node.js installed on your machine
• Basic understanding of JavaScript
• A code editor (e.g., VS Code)

📌 Step-by-Step Guide

1. Initialize a Project
   Open your terminal and run:

   npm init -y
   

   This creates a package.json file for your project.

2. Install Express
   Use npm to install Express:

   npm install express
   

   📦 Express will now be available in your project directory.

3. Create a Server
   Create a file app.js and add:

   const express = require('express');
   const app = express();
   const port = 3000;
   
   app.get('/', (req, res) => {
     res.send('Hello from Express!');
   });
   
   app.listen(port, () => {
     console.log(`Server running at http://localhost:${port}`);
   });
   

   🔄 Run the server with node app.js and visit http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

4. Handle Routes
   Define routes for different endpoints:

   app.get('/about', (req, res) => {
     res.send('About page');
   });
   
   app.post('/submit', (req, res) => {
     res.send('Form submitted');
   });
   

   🌐 Explore route handling in-depth at /en/resources/tutorials/express-js.

🧠 Key Concepts

• Routing: Map URLs to functions
• Middleware: Process requests before reaching the route
• Templates: Render dynamic HTML with engines like EJS

📌 Tips for Beginners

• Use express-generator to scaffold projects:

  npx express-generator
  

• Check the Express.js documentation for advanced features
• Practice with real-world examples like APIs or blogs

For more on Node.js fundamentals, visit /en/resources/tutorials/nodejs-basics. Happy coding! 🌟