Node.js — REST API

Basic REST Server

const http = require('http');

const users = [
    { id: 1, name: 'John' },
    { id: 2, name: 'Jane' }
];

const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
    if (req.url === '/api/users' && req.method === 'GET') {
        res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' });
        res.end(JSON.stringify(users));
    }
});

server.listen(3000);

RESTful Endpoints

Method	Endpoint	Action
GET	/api/users	List all
GET	/api/users/:id	Get one
POST	/api/users	Create
PUT	/api/users/:id	Update
DELETE	/api/users/:id	Delete

With Express

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

app.use(express.json());

// GET all users
app.get('/api/users', (req, res) => {
    res.json(users);
});

// GET one user
app.get('/api/users/:id', (req, res) => {
    const user = users.find(u => u.id === parseInt(req.params.id));
    if (!user) return res.status(404).json({ error: 'Not found' });
    res.json(user);
});

// POST create
app.post('/api/users', (req, res) => {
    const user = { id: users.length + 1, ...req.body };
    users.push(user);
    res.status(201).json(user);
});

app.listen(3000);

Mini Practice

1. Build a REST server
2. Implement CRUD operations
3. Handle errors
4. Add validation

Up Next

Continue with Web Server — serving static files.