Express is a minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework that provides a robust set of features for web and mobile applications. It simplifies the process of building web applications and APIs by providing a fast, unopinionated, and minimalist approach.

Key Features of Express

  • Routing: Express provides a powerful routing mechanism that allows you to define routes and handle HTTP requests efficiently.
  • Middleware: Middleware functions are used to handle requests, responses, and other actions. They can be used for logging, parsing, modifying headers, etc.
  • Template Engine: Express supports various template engines like Pug, EJS, and Handlebars for rendering dynamic views.
  • Error Handling: Express provides robust error handling capabilities, making it easier to manage errors in your application.

Getting Started

To get started with Express, you can follow these steps:

  1. Install Node.js: Make sure you have Node.js installed on your system. You can download it from here.
  2. Create a New Project: Create a new directory for your project and initialize it with npm.
    mkdir express-project
cd express-project
npm init -y
  3. Install Express: Install Express using npm.
    npm install express
  4. Create a Server: Create a file named server.js and add the following code to create a basic server.
    const express = require('express');
const app = express();
const port = 3000;

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

app.listen(port, () => {
    console.log(`Server running on http://localhost:${port}`);
});
  5. Run the Server: Run the server using the following command.
    node server.js
  6. Access the Server: Open your web browser and navigate to http://localhost:3000. You should see "Hello World!" displayed.

Resources

For more information on Express and web development, you can explore our Web Development Guide.