Express.

js
- Developed by TJ Holowaychuk in Nov 2010
- Is a web application framework for Node.js
- Free and open source software
- License under MIT
- Built on the top of the Node.js that helps manage a server and
routes.

Features:
- Facilitates the rapid development
- Allows to set up middleware to respond to HTTP Requests
- Defines a routing table
- Allows to dynamically render HTML Pages
- Uses template engines

Installation:
Node.js should be installed on your machine.
1. Install express-generator

2. Create project in the particular folder using express command.

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3. Install node libraries:

4. The folder structure will look like below given:

5. Start the node server using npm start command:

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6. Go to browser and write localhost:3000 in the address bar to execute the
express code.

Express.js Template Engine:

A template engine facilitates you to use static template files in your
applications.

At runtime, it replaces variables in a template file with actual values, and

transforms the template into an HTML file sent to the client.

Some popular template engines are:

Pug (formerly known as handlebars haml-coffee

jade)
Mustache hogan ect

Dust jazz ejs

Atpl jqtpl haml

Eco hbs JUST

How to use hbs :

Express handlebars provides us HTML kind of environment so it is easy to

work with handlebars than jade engine.

1. Uninstall jade

2. Install hbs
npm install hbs --save

3. Make following changes in app.js file:

const hbs=require(‘hbs’)

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4. Go to view folder change all jade files by hbs.
5. Remove all jade code and wite hbs code.

6. To print the value which is coming from routes we uses {{ }}.

Views/layout.hbs

Views/Index.hbs

Routes/index.js

7. Start the server using npm start and go to browser

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Express.js Request Object:
The express.js request object represents the HTTP request and has properties
for the request query string, parameters, body, HTTP headers, and so on.

Syntax:

router.get('/', function (req, res) {

// --

})

Express.js Request Object Properties:

req.body: It contains key-value pairs of data submitted in the request body. By

default, it is undefined, and is populated when you use body-parsing
middleware such as body-parser.

req.ip: It specifies the remote IP address of the request.

req.params: An object containing properties mapped to the named route

?parameters?. For example, if you have the route /user/:name, then the
"name" property is available as req.params.name. This object defaults to {}.

req.query: An object containing a property for each query string parameter in

the route.

Express.js Response Object:

The Response object (res) specifies the HTTP response which is sent by an
Express app when it gets an HTTP request.
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Response End method:

This method is used to end the response process.

Syntax: res.end([data] [, encoding])

Response Get method:

This method provides HTTP response header specified by field.

Syntax: res.get(field)

Response JSON method:

This method returns the response in JSON format.

Syntax: res.json([body])

Response Redirect method:

This method redirects to the URL derived from the specified path, with
specified HTTP status
Syntax: res.redirect([status,] path)

Response Render method:

This method renders a view and sends the rendered HTML string to the client.
Syntax: res.render(view [, locals] [, callback])

Response Send method:

This method is used to send HTTP response.

Syntax: res.send([body])

Response Status method:

This method sets an HTTP status for the response.
Syntax: res.status(code)

Simple Express.js program with helpers:

Let’s demonstrates the example:

-print the value of variable

-check the condition
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-print values of an array
-Use hbs (handlebars) template engine.
Write the following code in index.js file:

Write the following code in view (index.hbs):

{{# }} {{/}} – is the syntax of helper classes.

Express.js GET Request:

Get method facilitates you to send only limited amount of data because data is
sent in the header. It is not secure because data is visible in URL bar.

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Let's take an example to demonstrate GET method:

To test this go to http://localhost:3000/10. The following response will be

displayed.

One more example with 2 parameters:-

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Pattern Matched Routes:-

This will only match the requests that have a 5-digit long id.

Express.js POST Request:

Post method facilitates you to send large amount of data because data is send
in the body. Post method is secure because data is not visible in URL bar but it
is not used as popularly as GET method. On the other hand GET method is
more efficient and used more than POST.

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Let's take an example to demonstrate POST method.

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Infoway Technologies, 3rd Floor Commerce Centre, Rambaug Colony, Paud Road Pune 411038