Lecture on Getting Started with Express

Introduction

• Overview of the lecture on Express.js, a web application framework for Node.js.
• Personal experience of making money by delivering websites using Express.js.
• Express makes website development easy and professional.

Express Installation

• Initial setup and installation of Express on your computer using npm.
• The importance of Visual Studio Code (VS Code) and recommended extensions (jellyfish theme).

Key Concepts in Express

Basic Framework

• Express is a minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework.
• It is easier compared to creating a plain HTTP server with Node.js.
• Allows creating APIs on the server-side.
• The ability to integrate front-end knowledge of JavaScript into backend using Express.

NPM and Node Modules

• Explanation of npm (Node Package Manager) and the importance of the node_modules folder.
• Understanding of npm init and npm install commands.

Basic Server Setup

• Creating basic server using app.get(), app.listen(), require() for importing modules.
• Importance of status codes, headers, and response objects in HTTP servers.

Middleware and Routing

Middleware

• Concept of middleware in Express and its usage for request and response objects.
• Example of creating and using middleware for logging requests.

Routing

• Using express.Router for better route management and separating routes into different files.
• Basic routing setup, including parameterized routes.
• Example of creating dynamic routes using URL parameters.

Templating with Express

Templating Engines

• The usage of template engines like Handlebars to render dynamic content in web pages.
• Integrating Handlebars with Express (express-handlebars package).
• Creating main layout and view-specific templates to manage dynamic content.

Static Files and Serving

• Serving static files using express.static() middleware.
• Organizing and managing public assets (HTML, CSS, JS) in a separate folder.
• Example of a complex HTML template served statically.

Building a Project with Express

Simple Blog Project

• Setting up a simple blog project with Express, templates, and routing for different pages (e.g., homepage, blog page).
• Creating JSON data for blog posts and displaying them using Handlebars templates.
• Dynamic rendering of blog content using parameters and JSON data.

Deployment

Preparation and Hosting

• Steps to prepare your Express app for deployment, including creating a DigitalOcean droplet, setting up SSH, and using non-root users.
• Explanation of firewall rules (e.g., UFW allow 3000 command) and managing access to ports.

Using PM2 and Nginx

• Using PM2 (Process Manager) to manage and keep Node.js applications running in the background.
• Deploying the app with Nginx as a reverse proxy to handle incoming requests and forwarding them to the Node.js application.

Conclusion

• Final remarks on the efficiency and effectiveness of using Express for backend server development.
• Encouragement to explore additional resources and practice developing with Express.