Build a REST API with Node.js & Express

Express.js is the most popular web framework for Node.js. It simplifies the process of building robust APIs and web applications.

Setting Up the Project

First, initialize a new Node.js project:

bash

mkdir my-api
cd my-api
npm init -y
npm install express

Creating the Server

Create an index.js file:

javascript

const express = require('express');
const app = express();
const PORT = 3000;

app.use(express.json());

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
    res.send('Welcome to my API!');
});

app.get('/api/users', (req, res) => {
    res.json([
        { id: 1, name: 'John Doe' },
        { id: 2, name: 'Jane Doe' }
    ]);
});

app.listen(PORT, () => {
    console.log(`Server running on http://localhost:${PORT}`);
});

Running the Server

Start your server with:

bash

node index.js

Visit http://localhost:3000/api/users in your browser to see your JSON response!

Conclusion

Express makes routing and middleware handling incredibly intuitive. You've just built the foundation of a modern backend service.