Getting Started with Express

Jul 23, 2024

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.