node js server

Run npm init and follow the prompts to create a package.json file.

Install Express:

Run npm install express to install the Express framework.

Create a Server File:

Create a new file, e.g., server.js.

Import Express:

In server.js, require Express: const express = require('express');

Create an Express App:

Create an instance of the Express app: const app = express();

Define a Route:

Define a basic route with a callback function: app.get('/', (req, res) => { res.send('Hello, World!'); });

Start the Server:

Add code to start the server and listen on a port, e.g., const port = 3000; app.listen(port, () => { console.log(Server is running on port ${port}); });

Run the Server:

In the terminal, run node server.js to start the server.

Access the Endpoint:

Open a web browser and go to http://localhost:3000/ to see the "Hello, World!" response.

Extend Functionality (Optional):

• Add more routes and logic to handle different HTTP methods.
• Explore middleware to enhance the server's capabilities.

Install Nodemon (Optional):

• Install Nodemon for automatic server restarts during development: npm install -g nodemon.

Update Start Script (Optional):

• In package.json, update the "scripts" section to include "start": "nodemon server.js" for easier server restarts.

Run Server with Nodemon (Optional):

• Instead of node server.js, use npm start to run the server with Nodemon.

Handle POST Requests (Optional):

• Install the body-parser middleware: npm install body-parser.
• Use it to parse incoming POST requests: javascript const bodyParser = require('body-parser'); app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: true }));

Create a POST Route (Optional):

• Create a route to handle POST requests: javascript app.post('/submit', (req, res) => { const data = req.body; // Process data res.send('Data received: ' + JSON.stringify(data)); });

Restart Server:

• If using Nodemon, the server will automatically restart when changes are made.
• If not using Nodemon, manually stop and restart the server after making changes.

Test POST Endpoint:

• Use tools like Postman or a web form to send a POST request to the server's /submit endpoint.

Handle Static Files (Optional):

• Use express.static to serve static files (e.g., HTML, CSS, images).
• Create a public folder for static files and add: javascript app.use(express.static('public'));
• Access static files at http://localhost:3000/file.html.

Explore More Features:

• Explore Express documentation for more features and middleware options: Express.js Documentation.

End Application:

• Terminate the server by pressing Ctrl+C in the terminal.